Russian MFA: Detention of Russian Officers is Provocation

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on February 9 that detention of three Russian military officers in the South Ossetian conflict zone is “a provocation” and responsibility for the consequences of this action “will rest on the Georgian side.”
 
The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned Georgian Ambassador to the Russian Federation Irakli Chubinishvili on February 9 to express protest regarding this incident.
 
The Georgian Military Police detained three Russian military officers on February 8 in the Georgian village of Kurta in the South Ossetian conflict zone, citing that they had no Georgian entry visas.
 
In a statement issued on February 9 the Russian Foreign Ministry claims that the Russian servicemen arrived in the conflict zone to probe into the recent incident, wherein Georgian law enforcers seized a truck belonging to the Russian peacekeepers on January 31 after it crashed into a car being driven by a local resident in the village of Tkviavi, in the conflict zone.
 
The Russian Foreign Ministry also said that despite the Georgian side’s assurance to release the military officers, they were still being held.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry said earlier on February 9 that although Tbilisi was ready to issue visas for the Russian officers, it was impossible as they had no passports. As a result, the Georgian side launched procedures to deport the Russian servicemen, according to the Georgian Foreign Ministry.