Russia confirmed on Monday that its troops had advanced from the breakaway region of Abkhazia to the town of Senaki inside Georgia proper, Reuters informs.
The Defence Ministry justified the operation in Senaki, which lies outside the so-called security zone along the de facto Abkhaz boundary, by a need to avert news attacks on another breakaway region of South Ossetia.
"Russian peacekeepers and support units are carrying out an operation aimed at... preventing Georgian forces from regrouping to carry new attacks on South Ossetia," a ministry spokesman said. "Senaki is one of the places where such actions were underway."
According to AP, the latest developments indicate that Russian troops have invaded Georgia proper from the separatist province of Abkhazia while most Georgian forces are locked up in fighting around another breakaway region of South Ossetia.
Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili said Russian forces also took over police stations in the town of Zugdidi - about 20 miles from the base and also outside Abkhazia.sian military action. Senaki is located about 30 miles east of the Inguri River, which separates Abkhazia from Georgia proper.
