FSB Defector Describes ‘Amoral’ Conditions In South Ossetia

Twenty-five-year-old Vitaly Khripun, a border guard with the Russian Federal Security Service in South Ossetia, defected from his post on December 21 and has asked for political asylum in Georgia. Khripun was serving in the Java district along the administrative border that has separated South Ossetia from Georgia proper since last year’s five-day war between Russia and Georgia. In his first interview since his defection, Khripun says he was motivated to act by the culture of corruption and cruelty he witnessed in South Ossetia. He spoke to Olesya Vartanyan of Echo of the Caucasus, RFE/RL’s Russian-language programming for Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The interview took place in Tbilisi on December 22.

RFE/RL: Where are you from originally?

Vitaly Khripun: I was born in Ukraine in 1984. Since 1986, I’ve lived in Russia. Well, it was all the Soviet Union back then. In Murmansk.

Russian Foreign Minister comments on Kadirovs

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has commented on the statement by the Chechen president, Ramzan Kadirov. At the briefing held after the meeting with the Abkhazian separatist minister Sergey Shamba, Lavrov was questioned about Kadirov`s interview published in the Telegraph today. He said he had not read the article, however, any kind of aggression was unacceptable for Russia. He said the Russian Security Concept did not imply aggression against other countries and that it was based on initiatives and intensive activities. Lavrov accused Georgian government of being dangerous for the security in the Caucasus. `We see no danger from Ukraine or other countries, however, as for Georgian government, today it really represents danger for the peace and stability in the region. This danger was proved during the war against South Ossetia and Russian peacekeepers last year,` Lavrov said. In in interview with the Daily Telegraph online newspaper, Ramzan Kadyrov, a 33-year-old former rebel turned Kremlin loyalist, said Russia should draft new military strategy to resist the United States and other Western powers, which are stoking disorder in the north Caucasus to destroy Russia.

So-called Abkhaz Foreign Minister on return of refugees to Abkhazia

Russian Foreign Minister and so-called Abkhaz Foreign Minister held a joint press conference after their meeting held in Moscow on Thursday. Sergei Shamba talked about return of refugees and said, those who want to return to Abkhazia should know, that they are returning to the other country. `When we started to return people to Gali district, the Georgia authorities publicly said that they were not interested in their returning until they would not have established their jurisdiction there. Today, when Georgia has abandoned the treaty with Russia, there are no more commitments regarding this issue. At this stage, we are holding no talks with Georgia. The Geneva discussion continue, although with no result yet. We are acting according to our interests. We can`t tell people today to return, because they should know that they are returning to the other country. Although the Georgian government tells them that Abkhazia is a part of Georgia`, Sergei Shamba said.

Ramzan Kadirov says the West wants to destroy Russia

In in interview with the Daily Telegraph online newspaper, Ramzan Kadyrov, a 33-year-old former rebel turned Kremlin loyalist, said Russia should draft new military strategy to resist the United States and other Western powers, which are stoking disorder in the north Caucasus to destroy Russia. `Ramzan Kadyrov, a 33-year-old former rebel turned Kremlin loyalist, said that last year`s attack by Georgia, which is a US ally, on the pro-Russian rebel region of South Ossetia was part of a Western plot to seize the whole Caucasus region. `If they get control of the Caucasus, you could say they`ll get control of virtually all of Russia, because the Caucasus is our backbone,` Kadyrov said. `The Russian government needs to work out a strategy, it needs to attack,` the Chechen president said..`…Georgia, South Ossetia, Ukraine, all this will go on and on. It`s Russia`s private affliction. Why should we always suffer if we can eradicate this for good? We are a great power, we have everything – an army, technology. We need to attack.` Kadirov said. President of Chechnya accused the west of provoking last year war in Caucasus.

Georgian side ready to resume air communication with Russia

Russian Federation has sent a special letter to the Georgian United Transport Administration. Moscow appeals to the Georgian side to check up technical side of Airzena Georgian Airlines Company before resumption of flights between the two countries. Representatives of the Georgian United Transport Administration explain that capabilities of the Georgian private air company are well known in Russia. The Georgian side is ready to resume air communication with Russia as soon as possible. `The Georgian company has never faced any problems with technical documents or technical permissions and it has not them now either. From our side, we have done everything to allow a specific Georgian air company that has addressed Russia, to fly. Now it`s up to the Russian Federation`s decision`, Giorgi Bokuchava, the head of the Georgian United Transport Administration said.

Russian soldier asks for asylum in Georgia

The soldier of the Russian occupant army stationed in the village of Perevi, Sachkhere district, Georgia, has escaped from his unit. Dmitry Khrikhev asks Georgian government for asylum. The soldier met with the Minister of Refugees of Georgia to explain the reasons of his decision and ask for help. This is the third soldier of the Russian army since last year, who has abandoned the place of dislocation and asked Georgia for political asylum. Sergeant Glukhov was the first who escaped from the army and since then he lives in Georgia. He complained about unbearable conditions in the army and mistreat from his commanders. Sergeant Artemiev was the second to abandon the division.

NATO demands from Russia to respect Georgia`s territorial integrity

NATO demands that Russia respect Georgia`s territorial integrity and sovereignty, Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in his interview with Rossiya TV-station. The Secretary General of the alliance said despite the disagreement in some areas, the alliance and Russia should cooperate in security issues. Rasmussen reiterated that Georgia remains the main issues of disagreement between NATO and Russia.
After the secretary general`s interview, official representative of Russia to NATO Dmitry Rogozin was invited to the TV-program. Rogozin said, Georgia and NATO at this stage are too far from integration into the alliance.