Attached PDF file easily navigable with Bookmarks pane
Archives and associated files at groups.google.com/group/genewsfiles (from February 2008) and groups.google.com/group/genews (before February 2008)
1. In surprise move, Burjanadze says she won't seek reelection
2. Press on Burjanadze’s decision
3. Georgia ponders impact of Nino Burjanadze’s election withdrawal
4. Top 20 in ruling party list reported
5. Opposition, ruling party at odds over party-list submission
6. Republican Party demands dismissal of ruling party from election race
7. Christian-Democratic Alliance presents election list
8. Labor Party files complaint against ruling party
9. MP candidate thanks president for confidence
10. Republicans: Georgia’s main foreign political vector should shift towards Europe
11. Today Georgia fights to get rid of the international traitors
12. The TV stations Rustavi 2 and Mze do not cover the National Council’s elections campaign
13. West urges restraint as tempers flare in Moscow, Tbilisi over plane incident
14. Georgia-Russia tensions soar after drone shooting
15. Hi-tech battle in Georgia skies heralds wider danger
16. Russia, Georgia trade accusations over spy plane, Abkhazia before UN meeting
17. Georgia claims "clear proof" of Russian violation of air space
18. Russian fighter violates Georgian airspace, downs Georgian aircraft
Government of Georgia, April 22NATO-Standard Radar & On-Board Video Confirm Details of Confrontation; Attack Is Latest Russian Step in “Creeping Annexation” of Abkhazia On the morning of April 20, 2008, a Russian MIG 29 fighter aircraft blasted a Georgian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from Georgian airspace. The unarmed Georgian UAV was conducting routine surveillance above the breakaway Georgian territory of Abkhazia.
Radar tracking and video transmitted from the UAV in the moments before its destruction confirm the details of the attack. (Weblink to video footage at bottom.)* Georgian President Saakashvili said the downing of the Georgian drone, combined with Russia’s April 16 decision to establish legal links with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, constituted an “unprovoked aggression against the sovereign territory of Georgia.” He said the April 16 decision amounted to “legalizing the annexation of a large part of Georgia’s territory.”
Earlier today, Saakashvili spoke by phone with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. “I categorically demanded from him to immediately repeal the April 16 decision and to stop Russia’s attacks on Georgia,” he said.The President, in a speech to the nation, called for unity and calm. He said that Georgia would respond to Russia’s aggression by redoubling its efforts to peacefully resolve the conflicts. “Georgia has a peace plan, an unprecedented peace plan, which is supported unanimously by the international community,” he said. “Georgia does not need unrest and hostilities. But we should tell the entire world that Georgia will never tolerate the seizure of our territories.”
Video & Radar Reveal Details Of Russia’s Downing Of The Georgian Aircraft At 09:48 local time (GMT +4), Georgian radar detected the MIG 29 near the former Soviet military airfield at Gudauta, indicating that the attacking aircraft probably took off from there. Russia claims to have withdrawn its forces from Gudauta, leaving only a small contingent of peacekeepers, but it has consistently thwarted international efforts to confirm this withdrawal.
After gaining altitude east of the airfield, the MIG 29 turned south, roughly paralleling the Black Sea coast. Radar tracking reports correspond to the images from the UAV’s video camera. In the video, the fighter jet turns toward the UAV, approaches, and fires an airto- air missile. At 09:54:31, the UAV transmission abruptly ended, indicating its destruction. The silhouette of the aircraft clearly shows the typical twin-tail arrangement of a MIG-29 “fulcrum” fighter jet, an aircraft neither the Abkhaz rebels nor the Georgian military possess.
According to the radar tracking data, the Russian fighter then turned north and fled into Russian airspace.
The Georgian radar that tracked the MIG 29, codenamed radar 36D, was recently upgraded to NATO standards. It is sited in the western region of Samegrelo abutting * The video from the attack can be found at http://www.police.ge/en/curview.aspx?newsid=31127&categoryid=1 Abkhazia. This radar does not have simulation capability, meaning that it is incapable of producing tracking documentation indicating anything else but what the radar actually detected at the time of the incident...
MIG-29 “fulcrum” fighter jet, photo: 24. März 2008
Video MiG29 (24sec.) - 2. Video (19sec.)
19. Foreign Ministry condemns presence of Russian jet fighters in Abkhazia
20. UN Security Council to meet over Abkhazia situation on Wednesday
21. State Duma calls provocative Georgian appeal to UN Security Council
22. Airspace violations
23. Moscow to investigate Georgian flights in Abkhazia
24. Georgian, Abkhaz officials comment on UAV incident
25. video: Georgia behind Abkhazia tensions
26. MiG-29 unnecessary to down Georgian spy plane
27. Commentary on questions from the media regarding the 20 April incident involving a Georgian unmanned plane
28. Air Force commander denies alleged Russian involvement in Abkhaz incident
29. video: Georgia breaks UN agreements
30. Lithuanian, Polish presidents might head for Tbilisi to show solidarity with Georgia
31. Lithuanian attention to Georgia would help ease regional tensions
32. Estonian foreign ministry voices concern over developments re Georgia
33. Forty Estonian MPs initiate statement in support of Georgia
34. France reiterates support to Georgia
35. Daily press briefing Tom Casey, Deputy Spokesman
36. NATO application must be timed wisely
37. Aggression in Georgia: Vladimir Putin steps up his campaign against Russia's democratic neighbor
38. Georgia airline postpones resumption of Tbilisi-Petersburg flights
39. Mixed reactions in Georgia to Russia’s move to lift embargo
40. Russian parliament unlikely to recognize Abkhazia, S. Ossetia
41. Russia throws down gauntlet to West
42. Georgia's rhetoric about Russia is bellicose
43. Russian upper house won't recognize breakaway Georgian regions de jure
44. Russia to find arguments in response to Georgia's "provocative" actions – envoy
45. Georgian official in U.S. seeking support
46. Alasania press conference
47. Deputy PM accuses Russia of aggressive campaign to destabilize regions
48. Saakashvili on Russia's Abkhazia moves, "uneasy" talk with Putin
49. De facto leaders meets with German Ambassador to Georgia
50. Abkhazia says Tbilisi reluctant to resume peace talks
51. Bagapsh criticizes Georgia's military build-up
52. Bagapsh says interaction with Russia increases
53. Bagapsh criticises Georgia's "provocative acts"
54. Recognized independence is Abkhazia's primary goal
55. Talks to resume when Georgian military leave Kodori Gorge-Abkhazia
56. Another protest demonstration demanding freedom of speech held in front of the parliament building
57. Prime Minister left for United Arab Emirates
58. Agency for Financial Control starts operation
59. Government continues efforts to revive tea business
60. The TV station Maestro to hold the protest in front of parliament
61. Mamuka Katsitadze and David Kereselidze met with Rachvelians living in Tbilisi
62. The risk of avian flu reduced in Georgia
Jonathan Kulick, Ph.D., Director of Studies, Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies, 3a Chitadze, Tbilisi 0108, Georgia (Republic), jonathan.kulick@gfsis.org, office: +995 32 47 35 55, mobile: +995 95 33 33 40, USA voicemail: 310.928.6814
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