ROSTOV-ON-DON. June 22 (Interfax-AVN) - Another Georgian serviceman has defected to Russia to ask for political asylum, a source in the Southern Federal District of Russia has told Interfax.
"There is information that another Georgian serviceman has defected to Russia and intends to ask for political asylum," said the source.
The source did not give any details and declined to give any further comment.
Interfax has not been able to get official confirmation on this information from the Russian law enforcement structures and the Russian Federation Migration Service.
Georgian army officer Alik Bzhania recently defected to Russia and is seeking political asylum in this country.
"I did not have any problems, I was not in the opposition, and I am not a politician. Everything was fine, but I am just against the course that our president is following," Bzhania said at a press conference at the Interfax main office on Friday.
Bzhania said he could have continued to serve in the Georgian army. "Nobody persecuted me, no threats, nothing," Bzhania said.
"I thought Saakashvili would come to his senses and start building normal relations with Russia following the August conflict. But no changes occurred. Reservists are being recruited, an army draft is going on, he hasn't changed his course. I am notgoing to war with Russia and therefore I quit," he said.
Bzhania showed his officer's ID valid until December 31, 2011 at the press conference. He said this document serves as a pass.
Bzhania earlier served for the Georgian Navy, then switched to the coastguard forces, and then resumed his service in the armed forces. "I was held in high repute on the ship, I am a navigator, I was on friendly terms with everybody, and I did not have any problems," he said.
Bzhania said that, while he served in the coastguard forces, Georgian boarding teams were trained by U.S. military specialists. "I did not have any contacts with them, I had my own work," he said.
"Our president promised that America would be together with us and would back us. But this didn't happen. It was stupid to think that America would send its troops," he said.