Russian peacekeepers in the conflict zone should be immediately equipped with an air defense system to prevent a reoccurrence of the August 6 incident, Eduard Kokoity, the South Ossetian secessionist leader, told RIA Novosti news agency.

He once again alleged that a Georgian attack aircraft and not a Russian one had been involved in the incident, in which, he said, two rockets had been dropped.

“We have asked the Russian Federation to provide its peacekeeping battalion in the conflict zone with an air defense system so that it could down intruder aircraft,” Kokoity said.