Tbilisi Denies Shooting Down Tskhinvali Drone

The Georgian State Security Service has denied accusations put forward by de facto authorities of Tskhinvali (so-called South Ossetia) that their drone was shot down from a Tbilisi-controlled area.

The State Security Service told Radio Liberty that on September 1, in Kareli municipality, near the village of Abano, Tskhinvali’s drone crashed into the unmanned aerial vehicle of an individual, as a result of which both fell to the ground.

"The Georgian central government has a constructive attitude and pays huge importance to ensuring the current stable environment at the occupation line,” the Security Service said. 

Today, the State Security Service showed media the unmanned aerial vehicle that crashed on the territory of Kareli municipality yesterday to prove that there was no firearm damage on it.

“This is the drone that crashed yesterday in the Kareli municipality. Some unfounded allegations were spread after the crash, according to which the drone was shot down by our police unit. This allegation is groundless and false. We are showing this item to you to prove that there is no trace of firearm damage,” said Irakli Antadze, Deputy Chief of the Information-Analytical Department of the State Security Service.

Earlier today, Ekaterina Biazrova, Head of the Press Service of the “State Security Committee” of the Russian-occupied “South Ossetia”, reported that one of their drones was shot down by the Georgians near the so-called border.

“On the morning of September 1, an unmanned aerial vehicle owned by the South Ossetian law enforcement agency was conducting video surveillance near the state border. At about 10:00 am, shots were fired at the drone from Georgia's Kobi settlement without warning. As a result, the drone crashed near the border between South Ossetia and Georgia," Biazrova said, adding that the Security Committee has already informed the EUMM about the incident.

"In addition, we consider it necessary to state that the above is a direct provocation," the de facto committee said.

Related Story: Tskhinvali Accuses Georgia of Shooting Down their Drone

By Ana Dumbadze