Georgia Protests Russian Helicopter Flight over Kodori

A Mi-24 assault helicopter belonging to Russian peacekeeping troops flew over Georgian Interior Ministry?s checkpoints in upper Kodori Gorge early on August 4 dropping anti-heat seeking missiles, according to the Georgian Foreign Ministry.

?Provocations of this kind are inadmissible, especially against the background of the [Georgian side’s] almost completed operation to restore rule and order in the region [upper Kodori Gorge]. The Georgian side is trying to show maximum restraint,? the Georgian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

According to the Georgian side the helicopter entered from lower Kodori Gorge, which is under the Abkhaz secessionist authorities? control.

But Sergey Chaban, commander of the Russian peacekeeping troops in Abkhazia, told RIA Novosti news agency on August 4 that the peacekeepers? helicopter only flew to the lower Kodori Gorge to transport officers to checkpoints there.

?There is nothing illegal in our actions,? Chaban said.

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