Russia’s deployment of high-precision air-defence missiles in a breakaway region of Georgia has been slammed by Tbilisi as “dangerous and provocative.”

The sophisticated S-300 missile system bolsters Moscow’s military presence in Abkhazia.

Announcing the move, the commander of Russia’s air force, General Alexander Zelin, said different air defences had been placed in South Ossetia. That is a second disputed region over which Russia and Georgia went to war in August 2008. Russia later recognised both territories as independent states.

“It is completely unacceptable and we would like to ask our partner countries (and) international society, to force (the) Russian side to start demilitarisation and deoccupation instead of (the) increased militarisation of occupied territories,” said Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister David Djalagonia.

Visiting Tbilisi last month, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged Moscow to end what she called its “occupation” of the two Georgian territories.

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