Tbilisi, Tskhinvali Exchange Captives

The Ossetian side released Lado Chalauri, the chief of police in the Eredvi village in the conflict zone, following the agreement reached at a special session of the quadripartite Joint Control Commission (JCC) on January 24.

In response the Georgian side also released ethnic Ossetians, who were detained by the relatives and co-villagers of Lado Chalauri on January 22.

Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Goga Khaindrava said, the agreement will not apply to Oleg Pukhaev, an Ossetian who was arrested by the Georgian police on January 19, since he is suspected of killing two persons last February. 

The sides also agreed to transfer Oleg Pukhaev to the detention cell of the Joint Peacekeeping Troops and involve the Georgian, Russian and Ossetian sides in the investigation process.