Grenades Fired

On 24 October 2008, at night, fire was opened from the territory controlled by Russian occupation troops in the direction of the village of Muzhava, Tsalenjikha district. Three grenades were fired towards the peaceful population. On 25 October, in the afternoon, officials of the Tsalenjikha local administration, police and representatives of the EU Monitoring Mission left for the village of Muzhava to explore the situation on the spot. Upon the approach of their cars to the village, two time bombs exploded near the scene of the incident and mortar fire was again opened from the territory controlled by Russian occupation troops. As a result, Gia Mebonia, head of the local administration of the Tsalenjikha district was killed, one policeman – wounded. EU Monitors did not sustain injuries.

On 24 October 2008, at night, over 200 militias under the control of the Russian occupation troops moved closer to the village of Khurvaleti, Gori District in the vicinity of the Tskhinvali region with the aim of carrying out an attack on the peaceful population. The situation was defused only due to the efforts of the EU Monitors.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia would like to focus attention on the fact that an increasing number of terrorist acts against Georgian officials, policemen and peaceful civilians take place against the background of deployment of an additional number of Russian military personnel and equipment on the occupied territories of Georgia.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia calls on the international community to take decisive measures to prevent a new large-scale provocation designed by the Russian side against Georgia.

Tbilisi, 25 October 2008