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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Russia says rebels downed plane | Russia says rebels downed plane |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Russian authorities have said that Abkhaz rebels shot down an unmanned Georgian spy plane over the breakaway region of Abkhazia. | Russian authorities have said that Abkhaz rebels shot down an unmanned Georgian spy plane over the breakaway region of Abkhazia. |
| The Russian foreign ministry also said the flight breached a 1994 peace accord which ended fighting in the province. | The Russian foreign ministry also said the flight breached a 1994 peace accord which ended fighting in the province. |
| Georgia insists a Russian plane shot down the drone on Sunday, calling it an act of "open aggression". | Georgia insists a Russian plane shot down the drone on Sunday, calling it an act of "open aggression". |
| The country's defence ministry has released footage showing what seems to be a Russian MiG-29 shooting the drone. | The country's defence ministry has released footage showing what seems to be a Russian MiG-29 shooting the drone. |
| The video, shot from the drone moments before impact, shows a jet launching a missile over what appears to be the Black Sea. | The video, shot from the drone moments before impact, shows a jet launching a missile over what appears to be the Black Sea. |
| 'Evidence' | 'Evidence' |
| "We have hard evidence proving that this is the Russian military aircraft shooting down Georgian UAV [Unmanned Aerial Vehicle]," Temu Iakobashvili, the Georgian minister in charge of the breakaway regions, told the Associated Press news agency. | "We have hard evidence proving that this is the Russian military aircraft shooting down Georgian UAV [Unmanned Aerial Vehicle]," Temu Iakobashvili, the Georgian minister in charge of the breakaway regions, told the Associated Press news agency. |
| But in a statement, Russia's foreign ministry said the drone was shot down by Abkhaz anti-aircraft weapons. | But in a statement, Russia's foreign ministry said the drone was shot down by Abkhaz anti-aircraft weapons. |
| Abkhazia's separatist administration has said its own forces shot down the drone because it was violating Abkhaz airspace and breaching ceasefire agreements. | Abkhazia's separatist administration has said its own forces shot down the drone because it was violating Abkhaz airspace and breaching ceasefire agreements. |
| Tensions are high between Russia and Georgia over Russian support for Abkhazia and another breakaway Georgian region, South Ossetia. | |
| International involvement | |
| 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. | 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. |
| Tbilisi believes Moscow is fuelling the separatist conflict in Abkhazia to maintain Russian influence in the region and to damage Georgia's hopes of joining Nato. | Tbilisi believes Moscow is fuelling the separatist conflict in Abkhazia to maintain Russian influence in the region and to damage Georgia's hopes of joining Nato. |
| Georgia has requested a UN Security Council meeting on the issue, due to be held on Wednesday and attended by the country's foreign minister David Bakradze. | |
| Georgia's deputy prime minister was in London on Tuesday for meetings with British officials to try and garner international support for his country's position in the row with Russia. | |
| 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. |