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Georgia, a former member of the Soviet Union, has accused Russia of destroying one of its unmanned spy planes right into its air space.
According to Georgian officials, Moscow sent one of Russian Air Force’s jets into the Georgian air space to shoot down the spy plane on Sunday. Tbilisi also released a video recorded by a camera aboard the destroyed plane in which one can clearly see a Russian MIG-29 jet launching a missile at the reconnaissance drone in the breakaway Abkhazia region.
Russian authorities denied the allegations. In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a message to his Georgian counterpart Mikheil Saakashvili expressing his concern regarding Georgian military flights over the Abkhazia.
Russian Air Force Commander Alexander Drobyshevsky also denied that such an attack had ever taken place and argued that the Russian Air Force pilots had a day off right when the Georgian spy plane was destroyed, Interfax news agency reported.
This case comes amid already growing tension between the two countries. Moscow is currently making efforts to ease bilateral tensions fueled by Russia’s diplomatic move to strengthen ties with breakaway regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Saakashvili addressed the nation and accused Russia of "an unprovoked act of aggression against the sovereign territory of Georgia."
According to State Department spokesman Tom Casey, the US is "very concerned" about this situation.
"I think at the moment, it looks pretty clear that what the Georgians are saying is true," a White House official speaking on condition of anonymity said.
In his televised address to the country, Saakashvili also gave details about the "difficult conversation" he had with Putin. Saakashvili said he urged Moscow to put an end to its efforts to back the Georgian separatists.
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