Controversial NATO exercises begin

As NATO launches military exercises in the former Soviet state of Georgia, it is reported Moscow has expelled two Canadian NATO diplomats.

Moscow says the move comes after NATO expelled two Russian diplomats.

Russia has criticised the month-long exercises that start today, calling them “muscle-flexing” on its southern border.

The exercises come nine months after Russia sent in its army to stop a Georgian assault on the breakaway region of South Ossetia.

Amid rising tension, yesterday Georgia said it had put down a mutiny at a tank base east of the capital. It accuses Russia of trying to disrupt the exercises and foment a rebellion against the Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili.

Moscow denies the accusations. It claims Saakashvili is trying to shift the blame for weeks of opposition protests against his rule.

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tags: Georgia, NATO