Russia releases Georgian spy accused

A Georgian resident, who was found guilty in Russia for spying in favour of Georgia has been released, says Georgia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani.

The man’s release comes after two other Georgian citizens were released from Russian detention in February. The two men were serving prison terms for spying, Zalkaliani said.

The Georgian official declined to identify those two men, or the man who has been released today.

The announcement about the men’s February release was announced by Georgian Prime Minister’s special envoy for relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze.

After his recent round of talks with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin in Prague on April 16, Abashidze said a third Georgian citizen would be released.

"I know this person was detained over allegations of spying in Russia but I will not name them,” Zalkaliani said.

"This process is over and I am aware of this and three people have already been released,” he said.

Meanwhile Russian media Kommersant reported that one of the Georgian citizen released by Russia was former Deputy Chief of the Foreign Intelligence Operations Division Zaza Kherkeladze.

Kherkeladze was arrested in 2008 in Vladikavkaz for collecting information on the movements of Russian troops in the North Caucasus. In March 2010 he was convicted to 11 years in prison.

In January 2013 Georgia released 190 prisoners who were recognized as "political prisoners" by the country’s Parliament. Among them were several people who were convicted for espionage in favor of Russia, including three Russian citizens.

At the time Moscow welcomed the release of its citizens.