Georgia says Russia shot down drone

Georgia today accused Russia of committing "an unprovoked act of aggression", alleging that a Russian jet shot down one of its unmanned aircraft over the weekend. Moscow immediately denied the claim and Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed concern to his Georgian counterpart Mikheil Saakashvili about Georgian military flights over the separatist region of Abkhazia. Georgia says Russia shot down drone In Washington, State Department spokesman Tom Casey said the United States was "very concerned" over Georgia's claims and was seeking more information. In a nationally televised address, Saakashvili accused Russia of "an unprovoked act of aggression against the sovereign territory of Georgia." He said Georgia, a former Soviet republic, had verifiable evidence that a Russian MiG-29 had shot down a Georgian reconnaissance drone over Georgian territory on Sunday. Saakashvili said he had called Putin and during a "difficult conversation" demanded that Russia end its support for Georgian separatists and "stop attacks on Georgia." Russian Air Force Commander Alexander Drobyshevsky denied the incident, telling the Interfax news agency: "There were no flights on April 20, when the Georgian air aircraft was gunned down. Air force pilots had a day off." The Kremlin said that during his conversation with Saakashvili, Putin had "expressed his perplexity over the fact that the Georgian side is organizing military flights over the conflict zone." The Kremlin statement did not explicitly deny the incident had taken place. Georgia initially denied reports Sunday that rebel forces in its breakaway region of Abkhazia had shot down an unmanned drone, with Georgian officials saying the country did not possess the type of plane. Abkhaz officials previously claimed to have shot down a Georgian reconnaissance drone on March 18. Georgia's allegation came amid spiraling tensions between Moscow and Tbilisi over Russia's support for rebel separatists in Abkhazia and another breakaway region, South Ossetia. Putin issued a decree last week promising the separatists heightened support - a move condemned by Georgia as an attempt at the "de facto annexation" of the two territories. The United States and NATO called on Russia to reverse the move. The two regions broke away from Georgian control during wars in the 1990s following the country's independence, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Saakashvili has vowed to regain control over the two regions and has long accused the Kremlin of stirring up separatism in order to weaken Georgia and stymie its efforts to join the NATO alliance.

Georgia says Russia shot down drone

In Washington, State Department spokesman Tom Casey said the United States was "very concerned" over Georgia's claims and was seeking more information.

In a nationally televised address, Saakashvili accused Russia of "an unprovoked act of aggression against the sovereign territory of Georgia."

He said Georgia, a former Soviet republic, had verifiable evidence that a Russian MiG-29 had shot down a Georgian reconnaissance drone over Georgian territory on Sunday.

Saakashvili said he had called Putin and during a "difficult conversation" demanded that Russia end its support for Georgian separatists and "stop attacks on Georgia."

Russian Air Force Commander Alexander Drobyshevsky denied the incident, telling the Interfax news agency: "There were no flights on April 20, when the Georgian air aircraft was gunned down. Air force pilots had a day off."

The Kremlin said that during his conversation with Saakashvili, Putin had "expressed his perplexity over the fact that the Georgian side is organizing military flights over the conflict zone."

The Kremlin statement did not explicitly deny the incident had taken place.

Georgia initially denied reports Sunday that rebel forces in its breakaway region of Abkhazia had shot down an unmanned drone, with Georgian officials saying the country did not possess the type of plane.

Abkhaz officials previously claimed to have shot down a Georgian reconnaissance drone on March 18.

Georgia's allegation came amid spiraling tensions between Moscow and Tbilisi over Russia's support for rebel separatists in Abkhazia and another breakaway region, South Ossetia.

Putin issued a decree last week promising the separatists heightened support - a move condemned by Georgia as an attempt at the "de facto annexation" of the two territories.

The United States and NATO called on Russia to reverse the move.

The two regions broke away from Georgian control during wars in the 1990s following the country's independence, after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Saakashvili has vowed to regain control over the two regions and has long accused the Kremlin of stirring up separatism in order to weaken Georgia and stymie its efforts to join the NATO alliance.