Minister Blames Russia for S.Ossetia Security Chief’s Murder

Georgian State Minister Giorgi Khaindrava alleged on July 9 that Russian special services could have been behind murder of Secretary of National Security Council of breakaway South Ossetia.

Igor Albarov died after an explosive went off in his car garage at about 7:15 am local time on July 9 in the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali.

Albarov was among those South Ossetian officials who are “well-disposed towards the Georgian side,” Giorgi Khaindrava said.

He also said that Albarov was a potential rival of South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity in upcoming presidential elections which are scheduled in the breakaway region for this November.

“So actually the Russian special services got rid of him,” Khaindrava said.

Chief of the Georgian President’s Administration Giorgi Arveladze said that murder of Albarov was a demonstration of “political terror.”

“It was a result of inner power straggle in the unrecognized republic,” Giorgi Arveladze said.

The South Ossetian side started accusing Tbilisi of being behind the terrorist act, shortly after Albarov’s death. Vice-Premier of the unrecognized republic Boris Chochiev said that it was part of a well-planed provocation which aims at stirring tensions in the conflict zone.

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