Secretary of Russia’s National Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, has accused Georgia of preparing on its soil “individuals for carrying out terrorist acts in Russia”.

Russian officials are time after time accusing Georgia of assisting Islamist insurgents in North Caucasus. Last time such allegation came in August from National Counter-Terrorism Committee (NAK), which is Russia's government body operating under the Federal Security Service (FSB).

In an interview with Russia’s Argumenty i Fakty newspaper, published on December 14, Patrushev said Georgia’s leadership should be differentiated from the Georgian people. 

“Multi-ethnic peoples of Russia and Georgia are inextricably tied to each other. Saakashvili is carrying out a policy, which is far from the interests of the Georgian people. More and more Georgian soldiers are being sent to take part in combat operations abroad [reference to Georgia’s participation in the Afghan operation]. Training of individuals for carrying out terrorist acts in Russia is conducted on the territory of Georgia. Negative processes are taking place in the country’s economy. [Georgia’s] external debt is increasing, inflation is going up. Local population is misinformed, including about the August, 2008 war; number of foreign media outlets is also helping them in this,” said Patrushev, who was chief of FSB for nine years before becoming chief of National Security Council in 2008.