Russia deploys S-300 missiles in Abkhazia
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A senior military commander said Wednesday that Russia has deployed S-300 air defense missiles in Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia, drawing protest from Georgia.
"We have deployed an air defence system S-300 in Abkhazia, which will ensure the air defense in Abkhazia and South Ossetia" in cooperation with units of air defense forces in South Ossetia, said Gen. Alexander Zelin, commander of the Russian Air Force.
A S-300 system includes a series of long-range surface-to-air missiles. The Russian news agency RIA Novosti said an advanced version, the S-300PMU1, has a range of over 150 km and can intercept missiles and aircraft at a wide range of altitudes.
Zelin said the air defense system will cover facilities only in Abkhazia, while the army air defense systems cover South Ossetia.
Both Abkhazia and South Ossetia are breakaway regions of Georgia, but were recognized by Russia as independent states following a five-day war between Georgia and Russia in August 2008. The war began when Georgian forces launched an attack in an attempt to take back South Ossetia.
"The mission of the air defense system is not only the protection of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but also the prevention of state border transgressions in the air space and the destruction of any aircraft transgressing the air space of these republics regardless of the mission of their flight," the ITAR-TASS news agency quoted Zelin as saying.
The move soon drew angry responses from Georgia.
The Georgian foreign ministry said the Russian move was "extremely dangerous and provocative," threatening not only the Black Sea region but European security as a whole.
"Instead of pulling out its troops from Georgian territory, Russia is augmenting its military control in these regions," RIA Novosti quoted Georgian Security Council head Eka Tkeshelashvili as saying.
Deputy Prime Minister Temur Yakobashvili, who is also state minister for reintegration, said the the deployment of the S-300 system threatened the balance of forces in the region.
He said the Russian move was also aimed against NATO and that Georgia would protest the missile deployment in international organizations.
Georgia has had strained relations in recent years with Russia, which signed agreements with South Ossetia and Abkhazia earlier this year on establishing permanent military bases in the two regions.
Georgia is a close ally of the United States and has been aspiring to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has voiced concerns last month over Russian plans to build military bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The U.S. State Department said Wednesday that Russian press reports had indicated for some time that Moscow had S-300 missiles in Abkhazia.
"This is the first time any Russian official has indicated that this is the case. We have said many times that Russia must abide by its 2008 ceasefire commitments," Reuters news agency quoted State Department spokesman Philip Crowley as saying in an emailed message.
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