Authorities in breakaway Abkhazia claim that an unmanned Georgian reconnaissance aircraft was shot down on March 18.

“I confirm that the reconnaissance aircraft was shot down by our air forces. We have numerously warned the Georgian side about inadmissibility of reconnaissance actions on our territory,” Abkhaz leader, Sergey Bagapsh, told RIA Novosti.

Stanislav Lakoba, secretary of the Abkhaz National Security Council, told Abkhaz news agency Apsnipress that the reconnaissance aircraft was shot down at noon over an administrative border between the districts of Gali and Ochamchire, near the village of Primorksoe. He said that search for debris of aircraft, which fell into the sea, were underway.

The Georgian authorities have yet to comment on the report.