Georgian Deputy Security Minister Gigi Ugulava refuted reports on August 4 over Georgia's involvement in shots that were fired at Andrei Kokoshin, chairman of the State Duma Committee for the affairs of the CIS, in the South Ossetian conflict area.

“The Ossetian side opened fire in the direction of the Georgian peacekeepers, and the Georgian side responded to it. This will always happen in the event of an attack,” Gigi Ugulava said at a news briefing on August 4.

He said the reports over the attack on Andrei Kokoshin were spread following the incident.

“I declare with full responsibility, this was a provocation masterminded by the Ossetian side,” Ugulava added.

He said if the Georgian side had been notified about Kokoshin’s visit to the breakaway region it would have ensured his security.

Before his visit to breakaway South Ossetia Andrei Kokoshin, who arrived in Georgia on August 3, held talks with Georgian Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze.