The Russian Foreign Ministry convened on October 22 Georgian Ambassador to Russia Irakli Chubinishvili to protests against the arrest of a Russian officer from the peacekeeping forces stationed in the South Ossetian conflict zone.
 
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Georgian police arrested Lieutenant-Colonel Roman Boiko, Russian military observer of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces in South Ossetia on October 21 in the Georgian town of Gori, near the South Ossetian conflict zone.

“The Georgian side has brought groundless charges against Boiko involving 'instigation or complicity of acts of terrorism.' Moscow considers this an unprecedented mov -, a deliberate provocation aimed at discrediting Russian peacekeepers, fueling tensions in South Ossetia and at further aggravating the Russian-Georgian relationship,” the information note issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Saturday reads.

“The Russian side has expressed protests and categorically demands the immediate and unconditional release of Lieutenant-Colonel Boiko. Otherwise, the entire responsibility for the results will be laid on the Georgian side,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Georgian Interior Ministry officials have confirmed that the Russian officer was arrested, but declined to comment on the details of the case.