Okruashvili: Arms Delivered to S.Ossetia from Russian Base

Speaking at parliamentary committee hearings on February 13, Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili said that South Ossetian militia groups have recently purchased man-portable, anti-aircraft STRELA missile systems from the Russian military base in Akhalkalaki in south Georgia.

He also accused a Russian officer from the Tbilisi-based Headquarters of the Russian Troops in the Trans Caucasus of illegal arms trade in breakaway South Ossetia.

“Several days ago STRELA-type missiles were delivered to Tskhinvali from the [Russian] military base in Akhalkalaki. This is one of the most dangerous weapons. These missiles were sold by Semion Konstantinovich Levkovich for USD 10,000 each. This person [Levkovich] is currently working in the GRVZ, which is the Headquarters of the Russian Troops in the Trans Caucasus, and is chief of the mobilization department there. He is personally engaged in trading this kind of weapon. He is still free, because we had no clear avoidance to charge this person. But these weapons have identification numbers… and these numbers, which have been erased, can be restored and prove that they are owned by the Akhalkalaki military base. Also, I want to say that about 20% of the Akhalkalaki military base’s equipment is formally enlisted to the Russian peacekeepers [stationed in the South Ossetian conflict zone],” Okruashvili said, but he did not clearly elaborated whether the Georgian side currently has evidence against the Russian officer or not.

Defense Minister Okruashvili reported to the MPs about the performance of the Russian peacekeepers and situation in the South Ossetian conflict zone at a joint session of Parliamentary Committees on Defense and Security and Foreign Affairs.

Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Giorgi Khaindrava and Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili already reported to the MPs earlier on Monday.