Georgia Protests Violation of Air Space by Russia

The Georgian Foreign Ministry raised concerns over the violation of Georgia?s air space by Russian forces on August 6 and assessed the incident as ?another in a series of deliberate provocations having recently been induced by the Russian Federation.?

On August 6, 2004, at 12.45 a.m., a military aircraft, with the call sign 33701, penetrated Georgian airspace from the side of the Russian Federation at the North Ossetian section of the Georgian-Russian state border. The intruding aircraft penetrated the Georgian airspace to a depth of 25 kilometers and stayed there for 20 minutes.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry has already sent a note of protest to the Russian side, insisting that all necessary measures be taken to prevent such incidents.