(Ebru News/AP) The Georgian Defense Minister on Wednesday repeated Georgian accusations that a Russian fighter jet shot down one of its spy planes above the breakaway region Abkhazia over the weekend. Russian denies the accusations, saying the Israeli-made Hermes pilot-less craft was shot down by Abkhazian air defenses.
Speaking to reporters in Tbilisi, Defense Minister David Kezerashvili insisted the jet had "twin-tailed markings, the Abkhazian side does not possess this type, so it could be only Russian".
Georgia said video taken by the spy plane clearly shows a Russian MiG-29 jet - a jet Georgia's air force commander said that neither Abkhazia nor Georgia has.
Georgia also said radar showed the jet took off from a former Russian air base in Abkhazia and flew into Russian air space after shooting down the spy plane.
Russia said the flight was a violation of international law and claims Tbilisi violated UN resolutions by using unmanned planes to spy on Abkhazia.
Georgia is pressing the United Nations to take up its claims of Russian military aggression in Abkhazia and the Security Council was scheduled to hold a closed-door meeting to discuss Georgia's accusations.
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Georgia Accuses Russia of Downing Spy Plane
23
Apr
2008
Apr
2008
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