On October 17 the Russian Foreign Ministry denounced Georgia?s accusations that Russia sent ?hundreds of special purpose troops? to breakaway Abkhazia after the October 3 presidential elections there, calling these claims ?false.?
In an information note issued on October 16, spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander Yakovenko said that there was no need to send troops to Abkhazia. ?The elections in Abkhazia do not pose any threat to Russia,? he said.
Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry also denied reports regarding sending Russian troops to Abkhazia. Spokesman of the Russian Defense Ministry Vyacheslav Sedov said that there are only those Russian servicemen in Abkhazia who are the part of the peacekeeping troops, stationed in the region under the auspices of the Commonwealth of Independent States.