Russian and Abkhazian troops started storm of Khodori gorge (Video)
3- 12.08.2008, 8:51
On august 12 in the morning Russian and Abkhazian troops started storming Georgian positions in the upper part of the Khodori gorge.
During the operation military units used different kinds of arms, including artillery and Grad multiple-launch rocket systems.
Foreign Minister of Abkhazia Sergei Shamba has stated that “according to information he has, the operation is developing in line with the plan we have”. “There is advance of troops,” he added.
As said by Shamba, initially the Georgian grouping in the Khodori Gorge had about 3,000 people. “However, over these several days bombardment and air raids continued, that is why it is hard to say how many people are left,” the minister said.
Until today Russian and Abkhazian air forces were carrying out bombardment by aircraft and missiles on military objects in the upper part of the Khodori Gorge.
Russian military grouping in Abkhazia is headed by Shamanov
By the way, the Russian military grouping in Abkhazia is headed by a Lieutenant General Vladimir Shamanov. Interfax has been informed about that by a military source in Sukhumi. He reminded that last Sunday 9,000 troops and 350 units of armored vehicles were additionally sent to support Russian peacekeepers to Abkhazia.
Vladimir Shamanov became known during the first and second Chechen wars. He was a commander of an airborne division, and one of the Defense Ministry groupings.
