Russian violation of Georgian airspace

China calls for the Russian rep to explain these actions. As a neighbour of Russia, China seeks reassurances that you will respect your borders with neighbouring countries.

Reply 2

Russia respects the borders of georgia, and stongly asserts that responsibility for this has been taken by rebel forces. An L-39 aircraft of the Abkhaz Air Force was responsible, NOT a Russian MiG-29. Russia respects its borders, and does not send fighter aircraft across into other nations. These assertions are destabilising, and Russia believes fabricated in order to aid the Abkhaz and ossetian rebels.

Reply 3

Varsity

OP

13

Georgia would like to stress we are in possession of video footage of the attacking aircraft, clearly showing a destinctive twin tail. The L-39 does not have such layout.

Only the Russian MiG-29 matches this configuration, and neither Georgia nor Abkhaz operate these aircraft.

http://www.reuters.com/news/video/popup?videoId=80713&pos=0.799&vol=100&popPlayer=true

Reply 4

Varsity

Georgia would like to stress we are in possession of video footage of the attacking aircraft, clearly showing a destinctive twin tail. The L-39 does not have such layout.

Only the Russian MiG-29 matches this configuration, and neither Georgia nor Abkhaz operate these aircraft.

http://www.reuters.com/news/video/popup?videoId=80713&pos=0.799&vol=100&popPlayer=true

From this video footage China agrees that it is not a L-39 aircraft.

Reply 5

The Russian representative can only assert that Sundays are rest days for our pilots, and we find it hard to believe that one of our aircraft took off from an abkhaz base and shot down a Georgian aircraft. However, Russia would like to ask georgia why it had an aircraft over Abkhaz territory. Russia would also like to confirm the type of missile - MiG 29s use Vympel R-73 for shrot range air to air, and desires confirmation of this before accusations are made.

Reply 6

Varsity

OP

13

Georgia would like to remind Russia that Abkhaz is part of Georgia, as such we do not need to justify our presence there.

With regards to the type of missile used, Georgia believes this to be of little consequence. It is clearly a MIG 29, which only Russia operates and Georgia demands both an apology and an explanation for why out airspace was violated.

Reply 7

Russia regards Abkhazia as an autonomous, independant territory, and feels that georgia has the same rights as russia to fly over their airspace.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mikoyan_MiG-29_operators Only Russia uses the MiG 29?? - no Russian markings can be seen on the aircraft, and Russia would suggest that Georgia holds off from making accusations which it cannot prove.
Russia also would like to stress that it has no intention of generating a conflict, as suggested by a georgian minister: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/26/news/Georgia-Russia.php

And Russia reasserts that it did NOT violate Georgian airspace.

Reply 8

lodzinski

Russia regards Abkhazia as an autonomous, independant territory, and feels that georgia has the same rights as russia to fly over their airspace.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mikoyan_MiG-29_operators Only Russia uses the MiG 29?? - no Russian markings can be seen on the aircraft, and Russia would suggest that Georgia holds off from making accusations which it cannot prove.
Russia also would like to stress that it has no intention of generating a conflict, as suggested by a georgian minister: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/26/news/Georgia-Russia.php

And Russia reasserts that it did NOT violate Georgian airspace.

BBC

A Russian jet did shoot down an unmanned Georgian drone over the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia last month, UN monitors say.

The jet flew back into Russian airspace after the attack, a UN report says.

Russia has denied the charges - even though Georgia's defence ministry released video appearing to show a Russian MiG-29 shooting down the drone.

Tensions over Abkhazia have soared, with Georgia and Russia accusing each other of a military build-up.

Moscow accuses Georgia of preparing to invade its breakaway region, where many residents hold Russian passports.

Georgia says Russia is preparing to annex the region.

Georgia accused Moscow of an "act of international aggression" after the drone was shot down on 20 April.

It released video, which it said was recorded by the drone itself, of a fighter plane approaching it and then launching a missile in its direction. The picture then went dead.

A Russian air force spokesman said the claim was "nonsense", while Abkhaz rebels said they had downed the drone.

They have since claimed to have shot down several more.
Georgia map

But a report by UN monitors based in Abkhazia, released on Monday, said radar records showed the plane had flown into Russian airspace after the attack, and with no "compelling evidence to the contrary, this leads to the conclusion that the aircraft belonged to the Russian air force".

However, the report also criticised Georgia for operating reconnaissance flights over Abkhazia, which it said breached the terms of the ceasefire deal that ended the Abkhaz war of the early 1990s.

On the same day, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sent greetings to Georgia on its independence day, and expressed a wish for "constructive co-operation between our countries".

"I sincerely wish peace and prosperity to the Georgian people, with which we have century-old ties of friendship and spiritual kinship," his message said.

China asks Russia once again to explain itself to the GA.

Is Russia going to admit to the incident?

China feels that this is a worrying security issue with the build of military forces from both countries.

Reply 9

Russia is tired of repeating the same things over and over. We strenuously deny the claims that a Russian MiG shot down a Georgian drone, or that we are planning to invade or annex any Georgian territory.
There is nothing for us to admit to, and Russia is perplexed as to why China is so concerned about this issue, given our close political and military ties, I am sure as the Russian representative that any questions China has will be answered in private, without the need for this rediculous inquisition in the general assembly.

Reply 10

Captain Biggles

2

lodzinski

Russia is tired of repeating the same things over and over. We strenuously deny the claims that a Russian MiG shot down a Georgian drone, or that we are planning to invade or annex any Georgian territory.
There is nothing for us to admit to, and Russia is perplexed as to why China is so concerned about this issue, given our close political and military ties, I am sure as the Russian representative that any questions China has will be answered in private, without the need for this rediculous inquisition in the general assembly.

Afghanistan feels that questions of this nature should be raised and answered in the GA, for nothing more than to prove there is indeed nothing to hide and keep answers on record. This is a delicate security issue.

Reply 11

The official line coming from ALL Russian sources is that we did not violate georgian airspace, we did not shoot down a drone, and we have no plans to enter a conflict with Georgia. What different response do you expect me to produce? This questioning is futile, and I do not see why it has been brought up AGAIN.

Reply 12

lodzinski

The official line coming from ALL Russian sources is that we did not violate georgian airspace, we did not shoot down a drone, and we have no plans to enter a conflict with Georgia. What different response do you expect me to produce? This questioning is futile, and I do not see why it has been brought up AGAIN.

China just wanted the mater to be clarified as it has been brought up that the UN was backing the Georgian stance.

China does not expect Russia to say anything different in the case that there is nothing different to say.

China is therefore happy with the response from the representative from Russia. We would also like to reassure Russia that we regard our political and military ties with Russia very highly and hopes this topic of discussion will not sway how Russia feels.

Reply 13

Bilek

Poland accepts Russian explanations. However, Poland feels obligated to put stress on the fact that Abkhazia is recognized as a territory of Georgia and no-one can break into its borders without Georgia's permission. Poland encourages Georgia to keep defending against hostile pressures.

Reply 14