MOSCOW. Nov 28 (Interfax-AVN) - Georgia-based units of the Russian military force in Transcaucasia have succeeded in getting reinforcements for the first time since February 2005, a source in the force headquarters told Interfax-Military News Agency on Monday.
"Insistent work of the Russian Foreign and Defense Ministries has finally brought results. Georgia has issued visas to the servicemen who were awaiting the permission to arrive in the republic to reinforce Russian military units stationed there," the source said.
"The first reinforcement team consists of 50 officers, who will be appointed to military bases on Monday," he noted.
The source also said that the second reinforcement team consisting of 50 privates and sergeants will arrive in Tbilisi in a few days. He stressed that "at least 500 officers and enlisted men are needed to replace officers and reinforce units so that their strength would be brought up to the regular level."
"The command of the force has informed the Georgian party that without this reinforcement there may be serious problems in meeting the deadlines of the bases' preparation for the withdrawal from Georgia," he stressed.