STAVROPOL, June 8 (AVN) - The Yukerigo picket of the Itum-Kale border guard detachment on the Russia-Georgia frontier was attacked at 21.30 Moscow time (1730 GMT) on Thursday, a spokesman for the North Caucasus regional border guard department told the Military News Agency.
The federals returned fire, not suffering any casualties, the spokesman said. All nearby strongpoints were put on high alert, observation was scaled up and border guard helicopters have been making surveillance flights since Friday morning.
Rebels have almost no chances to break through the border in that area, the spokesman stressed. The local engineering equipment, means and forces, training level of the personnel are enough to resist their attempts. Besides, 1.5m fall of snow that emerged in late May and early June effectively blocks mountain passes.
A torrential flood 5km south of the Buron village forced the authorities to cut traffic on the Trans-Caucasus highway. The Nizhny Zamarag checkpoint of the Vladikavkaz border guard detachment and nearby pickets are temporarily isolated though radio communication with them is permanent and the border guards have everything to carry out their service for a long time in the autonomous mode.