TBILISI. April 12 (Interfax-AVN) - Chief-of-staff of the North Caucasus military district Colonel General Vladimir Bulgakov will once again check abidance by arms and ammo storage rules at the 62nd Russian military base located in the Georgian town of Akhalkalaki in the Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti district, a source in the Russian troops group in the Trans-Caucasus said on Friday.
"The chief-of-staff arrived in Akhalkalaki from Batumi where he inspected units of the 12th military base," the source told Interfax-Military News Agency. "The need to inspect the keeping of armament once again results from Georgia's claims that Russian servicemen are selling arms to rebels in the Pankisi gorge, though numerous inspections of stocks and units of the base have registered no losses of arms or ammo," he explained.
Bulgakov is accompanied by Russian troops group commander Lieutenant General Nikolai Zolotov in his trip.
The chief-of-staff flew from Batumi on a helicopter provided to him by authorities of the Adzharian autonomous region. According to the source, "the flight of the helicopter with officers of the Russian group headquarters is coordinated with the Georgian Defense Ministry."
"After completing work in Akhalkalaki Bulgakov and Zolotov will fly to Batumi again where they are to sum up results of inspections in the 12th and 62nd military bases. Following that the chief-of-staff will return to Rostov-on-Don," the source concluded.