Repeated violations of the Georgian airspace by the Russian warplanes have claimed their first victim. 70-years old villager Guram Otiashvili was killed and seven others injured as on dawn of August 23 Russian aircraft bombed Ilto valley and vicinity of Tianeti village, Iveri valley, Tbatani and Khevsureti part of the Georgian-Chechen border.
The sharp reaction of the Georgian government was voiced by President Eduard Shevardnadze who said “it is time to stop hunting the Georgian villages.” Foreign Minister Irakli Menagarishvili submitted a note of protest to the Russian Ambassador to Georgia Vladimir Gudev calling the fact a “military aggression against a sovereign state.”
Despite the criticism of the Georgian authorities and common citizens that rallied in front of the Russian embassy in Tbilisi, response of the Russian officials was cynical. As on previous occasions the Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov was the only one from the top-ranking political leadership to comment on the event. Denying the fact of violation of the Georgian airspace, Ivanov went as far as to suggest that the casualties came as a result of unsuccessful operation of the Georgian militaries in Pankisi.
Surprisingly, Russian defense minister also slammed OSCE observer mission that documented the airspace violation. Ivanov said OSCE mission is a failure, and it would do better to register attempt of the Chechen rebels to make it back to Russia, which happen “under their noses.”
Response of the international community to the incident is muted, which could be due to the fact that an incident happened on Friday, not giving the officials abroad sufficient time to respond. Georgian Foreign Ministry informed the U.S. and European institutions through their envoys in Tbilisi, while the Secretary of the Security Council Tedo Japaridze suggested that a strict reaction of the White House and the U.S. State Department are to follow.
Despite the diplomatic rebuttal, Georgian public and the political opposition show signs of growing wary at the Georgian leadership’s inability to put an end to repeated violations of the Georgian airspace. It is feared, that mounting Russian pressure would affect the morale of the Georgian internal troops scheduled to launch anti-criminal operation in Pankisi in upcoming days.
If the Russian pressure would remain stabile and international response muted, the opposition suggests, the Georgian government may yield to the Russian pressures to become militarily involved in Pankisi.
Meanwhile, the Georgian military are still unable to properly document or respond to the airspace violations. After collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgia lacks military airspace control capabilities. At the same time the country has no fighter aircraft or air-defense systems. Defense Minister David Tevzadze admitted yesterday that even if so desired, Georgia has no capability to shoot down the aircraft flying at high altitudes.
After the bombardments Georgian society, especially those bordering affected provinces is tense and worried. Defiance and cynicism of the Russian military and the politicians stir fears that Russia is no longer inclined to respect the “redline policies” respecting Georgia’s territorial sovereignty. Statements referring to Georgia as an “enclave of terrorism” emerging from the Kremlin only exacerbate these fears.
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