Russia Condemns Arrest of its Citizens by Georgia

In a statement issued on June 25 the Russian Foreign Ministry demanded Georgia to clarify its case regarding the detention of three Russian citizens in the breakaway republic of South Ossetia.

The Georgian Interior Ministry reported that three people were arrested on June 24 in the Java district of South Ossetia.  The three men were suspected of espionage. According to the Georgian side, the Russian citizens, who are also ethnic Ossetians, entered into the breakaway region from neighboring Russia?s North Ossetian Republic.

The Russian Foreign Ministry described the case as an attempt ?to add anti-Russian sentiments to a deteriorating situation in the South Ossetian conflict zone.?

Moscow also expressed regret that the incident coincided with the visit of Russian First Deputy Foreign Minister Valeri Loshchinin to Georgia, who held talks with the Georgian leadership over the resolution of the South Ossetian conflict.