It is NATO, which should be first and for most concerned about Russia's decision to deploy long-range S-300 air-defense system in breakaway Abkhazia, Temur Iakobashvili, the Georgian state minister for reintegration, said on August 11.

"Obviously, such action is one more violation of Sarkozy-Mediated [six-point ceasefire] agreement. If we take into consideration the specifics of this weapon, of course, it is inappropriate against Georgia in view of even theoretical threats because S-300 is a long range missile. It makes us suppose that this step has been taken to change the balance of forces in the region," he said.

"It stresses once again that Russia does not care about the fates of Abkhazians and South Ossetians. They need territories to demonstrate their force in this region and first of all, it is NATO that should be concerned about it," Iakobashvili added.

Eka Tkeshelashvili, secretary of the Georgian National Security Council, said that the move demonstrated "once again that Russia is an occupant force in Georgia’s two regions."

"Russia does not hide it by its actions – not only it does not withdraw its troops from the territory of Georgia, but it further reinforces its military control in these regions and Russia makes no secret of it. Hence, such action and statement is nothing but a demonstration of unhidden, obvious occupation carried out by Russia in these two regions," Tkeshelashvili said.