Russia Demands from Georgia Punishment of Peacekeepers’ Kidnappers

(Tbilisi, March 20, Civil Georgia) – Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement on March 19 demanding from Georgia punishment of Russian peacekeepers’ kidnappers and “disbanding of illegal armed units, destabilizing situation in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone.”

Three officers and one soldier of Russian peacekeeping troops, deployed in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone were abducted on March 18 and released on March 19.

Russian peacekeepers were swapped for two Georgians detained by the Russian peacekeeping troops. After detention Russians handed over two Georgians to the Abkhazian side.

On March 20 Georgian MPs protested against Russian peacekeepers’ decision to hand over detained Georgians to the Abkhazian side.

At the Parliamentary session on March 20, Georgian Speaker Nino Burjanadze stated that if detained Georgians were suspected in crime Russians should have handed them over to the Georgian side and not to the Abkhazians.