Russia army unit sent to breakaway Georgian province

by Jordan Yerman | May 31, 2008 at 10:18 am

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The Russian military says that the troop deployment reported below is for humanitarian purposes, and that the detachment sent is unarmed. Georgian officials claim that the move is an infrastructure-based territory grab by Moscow.

Russia is sending a unit from the army's railway force to the breakaway province of Abkhazia, the country's defence ministry has said.

The 300 unarmed troops are needed to help carry out repairs on the network, said the head of Abkhazia's railways.

The move has been denounced by Georgia which says Russia is planning a military intervention in the province.

Tensions between the states have been high since April, when a UN report said Russia shot down a Georgian drone.

Russian authorities insisted the plane was shot down over Abkhazia by Abkhaz rebels.