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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Russia 'shot down Georgia drone' | Russia 'shot down Georgia drone' |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| A Russian fighter jet has shot down an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft over the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia, Georgian authorities say. | |
| Georgia's defence ministry has released video showing what appears to be a Russian MiG-29 shooting down the unarmed Georgian drone on Sunday. | Georgia's defence ministry has released video showing what appears to be a Russian MiG-29 shooting down the unarmed Georgian drone on Sunday. |
| A Russian air force spokesman said the claim was "nonsense" while Abkhaz rebels said they had downed the drone. | A Russian air force spokesman said the claim was "nonsense" while Abkhaz rebels said they had downed the drone. |
| Russia's leader asked why a drone had been present in a "conflict zone". | Russia's leader asked why a drone had been present in a "conflict zone". |
| Georgia was exercising [its] sovereign right to monitor a situation on its own territory Mikhail SaakashviliGeorgian president | |
| President Vladimir Putin expressed his concern in a phone call to Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, the Kremlin reported. | President Vladimir Putin expressed his concern in a phone call to Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, the Kremlin reported. |
| Mr Saakashvili himself went on Georgian TV to say he had "categorically demanded [of Mr Putin]... that these aggressive attacks on Georgia be stopped immediately". | Mr Saakashvili himself went on Georgian TV to say he had "categorically demanded [of Mr Putin]... that these aggressive attacks on Georgia be stopped immediately". |
| Tensions are high between the two neighbours over Russian support for Abkhazia and another breakaway Georgian region, South Ossetia, and over Georgian moves towards joining Nato. | Tensions are high between the two neighbours over Russian support for Abkhazia and another breakaway Georgian region, South Ossetia, and over Georgian moves towards joining Nato. |
| Russian and UN peacekeepers have been deployed in the two regions since the early 1990s, when violence erupted as they broke free from Georgian control. | |
| 'Absolutely illegal' | 'Absolutely illegal' |
| The video, shot from the drone moments before impact, shows a jet launching a missile over what appears to be the Black Sea. | |
| "It's absolutely illegal for a Russian MiG-29 to be there," said Col David Nairashvili, the air force commander. | "It's absolutely illegal for a Russian MiG-29 to be there," said Col David Nairashvili, the air force commander. |
| "Russian military aircraft intruded into Georgian airspace above Abkhazia, Georgia," said President Saakashvili on television. | "Russian military aircraft intruded into Georgian airspace above Abkhazia, Georgia," said President Saakashvili on television. |
| "This aircraft attacked and destroyed a Georgian UAV [Unmanned Aerial Vehicle]. Once again, Georgia was exercising [its] sovereign right to monitor a situation on its own territory." | |
| Abkhazia's separatist administration has said its own forces shot down the drone because it was violating Abkhaz airspace and breaching ceasefire agreements. | |
| According to Russian reports from Sukhumi, the Abkhaz capital, the authorities there have put on display fragments of the drone. | |
| Garry Kupalba, deputy defence minister of the unrecognised Republic of Abkhazia, told reporters the drone had been shot down by an "L-39 aircraft of the Abkhaz Air Force". | |
| He also identified the drone as an Israeli-made Hermes 450. | |
| 'Destabilising' | |
| President Putin viewed the presence of the drone as a "destabilising factor escalating tension", the Kremlin said. | President Putin viewed the presence of the drone as a "destabilising factor escalating tension", the Kremlin said. |
| "During an examination of the incident with the Georgian unmanned plane, Vladimir Putin expressed his perplexity over the fact that the Georgian side is organising military flights over a conflict zone," it added. | "During an examination of the incident with the Georgian unmanned plane, Vladimir Putin expressed his perplexity over the fact that the Georgian side is organising military flights over a conflict zone," it added. |
| A Russian air force spokesman said: "What would a Russian jet fighter be doing over Georgian territory?" | A Russian air force spokesman said: "What would a Russian jet fighter be doing over Georgian territory?" |
| Last week, Georgia accused Russia of trying to annex Abkhazia and South Ossetia by deciding to seek closer ties with them. | Last week, Georgia accused Russia of trying to annex Abkhazia and South Ossetia by deciding to seek closer ties with them. |
| Russia has said its proposal is aimed at protecting the rights and legal interests of Russian citizens, who make up the majority of the population in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. | Russia has said its proposal is aimed at protecting the rights and legal interests of Russian citizens, who make up the majority of the population in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. |
| Earlier this month, Nato decided not to grant Georgia's request to join its Membership Action Plan but promised it would eventually become a member of the alliance. | Earlier this month, Nato decided not to grant Georgia's request to join its Membership Action Plan but promised it would eventually become a member of the alliance. |