Russian-occupied Tskhinvali claims Georgian drone that violated ‘border’ could spread coronavirus
The Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region continues to accuse Tbilisi of ‘deliberately spreading’ the coronavirus to the region. Photo: Tass.
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Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region is studying a site near the village of Tsnelisi ‘where a Georgian drone violated a border on June 2 – 3,’ as the drone ‘could have been used to spread the coronavirus to the region.’
The so-called security committee of Tskhinvali stated earlier today that they have carried out a chemical and biological study of the site and will send the materials to a lab for further analysis.
There was the need to carry out the study due to the coronavirus situation in Georgia and the activities of the Lugar Centre,” said the committee, adding that if the materials turn out to contain pathogens this will point at ‘bioterrorism against South Ossetia.’
It is not the first time the de facto authorities are accusing Tbilisi of ‘deliberately spreading’ the virus to the region. The region and Russia also frequently attack the US-built Lugar Centre in Tbilisi.
Occupied Tskhinvali has had more than 40 cases of the coronavirus. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
Most coronavirus cases reported in Georgia's Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions have been connected with Russia.
In mid-May the de facto government of Tskhinvali also accused Tbilisi and the European Union Monitoring mission of ‘secretly collecting biological materials of the South Ossetian (Tskhinvali) people, which serves the goal of continuing our genocide.’
The EUMM Georgia called the information ‘completely false’ and ‘yet another example of malicious and irresponsible disinformation targeted at EUMM Georgia.’
The Georgian State Security also stated that the de facto authorities of Tskhinvali ‘continue to spread incorrect information.’
Russian experts will be allowed into the US-built, Tbilisi Lugar Centre only with the presence of international delegates, within the convention on prohibition of biological weapons, and not in a bilateral format as Russia demanded earlier today, Georgian Prime Minister’s Special Representative in Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze told IPN.
The US embassy to Georgia has stated that as the world marks the anniversary of Georgian independence and celebrates Georgia’s success in combating COVID-19, the United States protests the ongoing, provocative ‘borderisation’ by Russian-led security forces along the occupation line of the Russian-occupied Georgian territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.
Georgian Foreign Ministry says that Russia has been particularly active in its creeping annexation of more Georgian territories over the past two months and its (Russia’s) fight against the US-built Lugar Centre in Tbilisi has become intense.
The de facto government of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region has accused Tbilisi and the European Union Monitoring Mission of ‘secretly collecting biological materials of the South Ossetian (Tskhinvali) people, which serves the goal of continuing our genocide.’
One individual in quarantine has tested positive for the coronavirus in Georgia, increasing the total number of confirmed cases to 809. Meanwhile, with 11 recoveries a total of 674 individuals have recovered from the virus in Georgia since the country confirmed its first case in late February.
Leaders of the Georgian two occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali have arrived in Russia to attend celebrations dedicated to the end of WWII amid threats of the coronavirus.
EUMM Georgia, the only foreign mission in the country which monitors the occupation lines at the two Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali occupied by Russia, has received new VAMTAC SK95 trucks which are able to access difficult locations.
Since March about 1,000 people have entered Tbilisi-controlled territory from Georgia’s occupied regions, of which 316 were patients that were brought to hospitals for different diagnoses, says the State Ministry for Reconciliation and Civic Equality of Georgia.
Two unmanned aerial drones crashed in the villages of Udabno and Kutchatani of Kakheti region of Georgia at 18:35 and 18:45 pm yesterday, announces the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. An investigation into the incident has already been launched and law enforcement officers as well as forensic experts have been mobilised to the sites.