Georgian citizen captured near Tskhinvali occupation line

An elderly Georgian man has been detained and taken hostage in occupied Tskhinvali territory after allegedly crossing the administrative border while watching his grazing cattle.

It is understood 67-year-old Grisha Balamatsarashvili from Adzvi village was grazing cattle with two other locals when they were approached by armed Russian occupational forces.

The Russian guards told the trio to follow them. The two younger Georgia men reportedly escaped by running away but Balamatsarashvili was detained by the so-called guards.

The current whereabouts of the elderly man is not known.

Georgian authorities noted this was the fifth case of a Georgian citizen being captured in the conflict zone this week.

Click here to see how Georgian citizens live in the conflict zone near the occupational line.