Russia-controlled occupied Tskhinvali makes anti-fire ditches at occupation lines
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The de facto leadership of Georgia’s eastern occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region has started digging of anti-fire ditches near the occupation lines, which separate the breakaway territory from the rest of Georgia.
The Radio Liberty reads that the occupants dug the ditches not only the Russia-controlled territory, but also on the Tbilisi- administered area.
The government of Georgia strongly condemned the fact and appealed to the international community to react to the illegality.
It is the third year Tskhinvali makes the ditches "to protect itself” from the fires which may spread from the Tbilisi-controlled territory.
The Government of Georgia and the whole international community except four countries stress that the actions of Russia and de facto leaderships are illegal on the historic territories of Georgia.
Russia and Nicaragua recognised Tskhinvali’s and Abkhazia’s independence in 2008 in the wake of the Russia-Georgia war.
In 2009 Venezuela, Vanuatu, Nauru and Tuvalu took the same step.
After several years Vanuatu and Tuvalu revoked this recognition and now declare Abkhazia and Tskhinvali are integral parts of Georgia.
The Security Service of Georgia’s eastern occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region has announced engineering works to restore the fire protection zone "at the border with Georgia”.
Any attempt to rename an occupied region of Georgia without the consent of the central government will be an affront on Georgia’s sovereignty and integrity, says President Giorgi Margvelashvili.
Russian border guards patrolling the Administrative Boundary Line between the Russian-occupied region of Tskhinvali and the rest of Georgia illegally have detained a Georgian man.
Russian guards arrest 3 Georgians in 3 days
Russian guards stationed at the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) between Georgia and its breakaway Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) have illegally detained three Georgian citizens in the past three days.
The United States calls for an immediate halt to the ongoing illegal detentions of Georgian citizens by de facto and Russian authorities along the administrative boundary lines with the Russian-occupied territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The EUMM notes that recent developments at the ABL will be addressed by participants at the next meeting of the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism to take place in Ergneti on 15 May.
Priest and shepherd detained in Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia)
Ioane Okhanashvili is the pastor of Saint Georgia’s Church in the village Dirbi, located a few kilometres away from the South Ossetian ABL.
The news about the other detention came from the village of Tsitelubani. The shepherd Teimuraz Dudashvili was taken by force to Tskhinvali by Russian border guards, according to his neighbours.