Russian Serviceman Released in Batumi

A serviceman from the Russian military base in Batumi was released by the local police in Adjara Autonomous Republic on June 13 after several hours of detention. Local police reported that the Russian serviceman was arrested while trying to steal a car. But the serviceman denied these accusations.

According to Georgian media reports, the Russian soldier was released after the owner of the car declined to press charges against the serviceman.

This is the second case of an arrest of Russian soldiers in Batumi in recent weeks. Four servicemen were briefly detained on May 20 for, as the local police said, ?hooliganism.? This brief arrest of Russian soldiers was harshly condemned by the Russian Embassy in Tbilisi.

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