TBILISI, DFWatch–Russia began a military exercise in Georgia’s breakaway region South Ossetia on Monday, which will involve 5,000 soldiers, rockets and artillery.
The pro-government news agency RES reports that the exercise is taking place at seven different training grounds.
TBILISI, DFWatch–At the Warsaw summit last weekend, NATO agreed to strengthen its cooperation with Georgia to bolster its defense capabilities.
In a joint statement signed by foreign ministers of member countries as well as Georgia, the countries write that
TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia will continue its participation in the NATO mission in Afghanistan, Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli said at the alliance’s summit in Warsaw.
A meeting was held between heads of state from countries that participate
TBILISI, DFWatch–Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli on Monday controversially signed a decree ending compulsory military service with immediate effect.
In April, Khidasheli said she expected the professional army system to be introduced in 2017.
TBILISI, DFWatch–Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli says compulsory military service may be abolished from 2017.
“This is my decision as minister of defense,” she told Channel 1 on Tuesday.
“If another leader comes to this office, naturally, that decision may be changed.”
TBILISI, DFWatch–A deputy head of the Georgian counterintelligence on Monday hinted that Russia could be behind leaked surveillance videos recently used to threaten government members, although he did not rule out any theory. The videos were uploaded
TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian defense minister says there has been too much focus on her country being approved for a formalized plan toward NATO membership, called a MAP, since the alliance can accept Georgia as a member directly, she argues.
NATO
TBILISI, DFWatch–Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday that Islamic State fighters are being trained in the Pankisi valley in northern Georgia which was one of the reasons why Russia introduced stricter visa rules for Georgians.
On Tuesday, Tbilisi
TBILISI, DFWatch–Two Georgians were detained by Russian border guards on Monday at the delineation line around the breakaway territory South Ossetia.
Saba Sekhniashvili and Lasha Glurjidze were trying to go to the Trinity Church, which lies in the village Bershueti.
