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(Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–Russian soldiers last week detained three Georgian citizens at a village bordering with the breakaway region South Ossetia.

According to Channel 1, Russians detained a father and son, Avtandil and Shota Atskarunashvili, and later also Ilia Kudukhashvili; all from Akhalsopeli.

They were taken away while collecting barley in Khurvaleti village.

Locals say the Russian soldiers have been observing the area, where people were collecting harvest, for several days.

The detainees were as usual brought to the detention facility in Tskhinvali.

Gocha Ratiani, Head of the Interior Ministry’s Department for Analysis, told Interpressnews that Georgians were detained on August 22. Georgia informed the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) and the government is working together with the EUMM to bring them back from Tskhinvali.

The family of father and son Atskarunashvili told Channel 1 that no-one from Tskhinvali has contacted them about the detention so far. They learned about what had happened from a shepherd who saw the Russian soldiers taking them away from the field. They say the detainees were on Georgian-controlled territory at the time, but still are accused of illegal border crossing.