Russian guards head for Abkhazian and Ossetian borders
Published: 03 May, 2009, 13:42
TAGS: Breakaway regions, Military, Russia
The Russian army has dispatched guards to Abkhazia’s and South Ossetia's frontiers with Georgia, nine months after Tbilisi launched an offensive to take control of South Ossetia.
The deployment follows an agreement between Russia and the two republics, signed on Thursday.
“Border troops command will be located in Tskhinvali proper, while others will be deployed along the whole border perimeter. Russian border troops that are already in South Ossetia have come up to the border,” Nikolai Lisinsky said, head of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) Regional Border Department for the Southern Federal District.
Lisinsky refused to say exactly how many Russian border guards were on their way to the region, adding that their presence has nothing to do with the upcoming NATO exercises in Georgia and they do not plan to install barbed wire fences at the border.
“To protect the border the latest modern equipment will be used, including video surveillance and detection systems and unmanned aircraft,” he said.
Moscow vowed to enforce security in the region after it intervened in the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict in August, 2008 and later recognised the independence of Georgia's two breakaway republics.
NATO says the presence of Russian border guards violates a ceasefire brokered by Russia and the EU, and infringes on Georgia's territorial integrity.
But Moscow insists the border guards are not part of Russia's armed forces, and so do not violate any agreeaments.
03.05.2009, 13:38
3 comments
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Just what the hell is the relationship between Russia and NATO going to be in this century? Surely there isn't any intent for either side to invade. This cold war business has to stop as it so stupid, dull and mundane. Pointing fingers at any side would also be fruitless, but all nations have the right to see this old worn out battle put to rest. NATO is more of an ally with Russia than is an ally with the USA. From a western perspective, the United States continues to deploy forces around the globe in a manner that does not represent all of NATO. Indeed, the USA stands alone but the rest of NATO doesn't have the forces to keep the US in line. This business has to stop, it is very annoying.
A lot of the problems between America and Russia could be reached ,if the americans learnt thier histroy of europe .the threat to the world is ignorance.