MOSCOW/TBILISI. Oct 28 (Interfax-AVN) - The assertion by the Georgian military that Russian planes dropped bombs on peacekeepers in Tskhinvali "is a cynical lie," according to Russian Ground Forces spokesman Col. Igor Konashenkov.
"We are particularly shocked by the fact that this lie is being spread by the commander of the Georgian peacekeepers, who fled, abandoning their posts at the peacekeeping headquarters in Tskhinvali 20 minutes before the Georgian army launched a massive shelling attack on the city," Konashenkov told Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.
"Over 50 reporters, taking shelter there witnessed the Georgian forces shelling the peacekeepers' headquarters in Tskhinvali," he said.
Konashenkov was commenting on Georgian peacekeepers commander Gen. Mamuka Kurashvili's claims that during the August events, the Russian peacekeepers, stationed in Tskhinvali, were bombed by Russian planes.
"I state with all responsibility, that Georgian troops did not shell the Russian peacekeepers' headquarters in Tskhinvali, either on August 7, or later," said Kurashvili, addressing the interim parliamentary commission investigating the August events on Tuesday.
"The Russian peacekeepers' headquarters were bombed by Russian aviation right in front of our eyes," Kurashvili said.