Occupants continue digging anti-fire zones
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Tuesday, September 12
Rustavi 2 has reported that Russian occupant forces, together with the representatives of Georgia’s eastern occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region have resumed the digging of fire protection zones.
The media reported people and five vehicles appeared at the Khurvaleti village near the occupation line on September 11.
Rustavi 2 has also released a photo allegedly proving the fact.
“The photo was provided by the Power is in Unity movement. The areas where the people and vehicles are is so remote and hard to get close to that it was impossible to use a camera to capture them,” the media reported.
However, Roin Adikashvili, a representative of the Gori Municipality’s governor, says that the information is not true.
He also denies information on the resumption of fire defence near the village.
“Nothing like this is observed near the village of Khurvaleti. No efforts are underway at all,” he said.
This summer, the Security Service of Tskhinvali announced engineering works to restore the fire protection zone "at the border with Georgia” on August 1.
The agency claimed the works were caused because of “threats of fire” in the breakaway area and will continue between August 3 and 18 at the village of Artsevi.
The Government of Georgia called the action a provocation.
The Tskhinvali statement preceded large-scale fires in Georgia in August.
Russia recognized Tskhinvali’s independence in 2008 in the wake of the Russia-Georgia war.
