Russian Defence Ministry Disproves Georgian Authorities' Statement

The Russian Defence Ministry has shrugged off the Georgian authorities' allegation that Russia carried out air strikes on Georgia last night. "This is nonsense," said Nikolai Deryabin, in charge of the Russian Defence Ministry's press service. Georgia might have taken Russian air strikes on Chechen separatists in Russia for bombardments, Deryabin noted. "Indeed, on November 27 Russian aircraft hit two gangs trying to penetrate from Russia to Georgia." According to Deryabin, there were no other sorties that night. It was Georgian State Security Minister Valery Khaburdzania who reported on Russian air strikes on the Pankisi Gorge. Nikolai Baranov, the head of the mobile press centre of the Russian Armed Forces, also refuted the statements.