Russian MFA Information and Press Department Commentary Regarding the Shooting Down of a Georgian Spy Plane in the Georgian-Abkhaz Zone of Conflict
PRESS RELEASE
In relation to the downing on April 20 by Abkhazian defense forces of a Georgian unmanned spy plane it is important to take into account the following.
Flights of UAVs in any case are a destabilizing factor. In the first place, the implication is that military reconnaissance is being conducted, and in the second place such aerial vehicles can be used to adjust fire. Accordingly, conflict settlement agreements do not permit any unauthorized flights in the zone of separation of the conflicting parties.
In particular, the Moscow agreement on the ceasefire and separation of forces of 14 May 1994 states that there are to be no armed forces in the security zone, and under UN Security Council resolution 1808 of April 15, 2008, the parties are to maintain the security zone and the restricted weapons zone free of any unauthorized military activities. UNOMIG has particularly stressed this circumstance in connection with the last incident (its press release of April 21, 2008).
It is noteworthy that the Georgian side later tried to legitimatize the flight of its UAV. But the notice from the Georgian interior ministry of the drone's flight reached UNOMIG only on the evening of April 20, at about 1900 hrs, that is almost 10 hours after the destruction of the plane. Thus, this flight is unambiguously an unauthorized military activity.
It can also be recalled that Georgian officials "got confused in their testimonies," initially having altogether denied that the downed spy plane belonged to Georgia.
According to information released by Sukhumi authorities, the plane was shot down by Abkhazian defense forces, which have missile-equipped planes of the L-39 type in service. As the Russian Ministry of Defense has reported, our planes on this day made no flights in this sector. The assertions of the Georgian side about a Russian MiG-29 are a falsehood.
As to the "video evidences" being circulated, they do not deserve trust and cause a lot of questions. Specialists note, in particular, the strange behavior of the fighter plane pilot, who as though deliberately gave its craft away by diving for attack beneath the spy plane (for the equipment fixed under the drone fuselage the upper space above the vehicle is an invisible zone).
Specialists also draw attention to the fact that, judging by the video, the missile came from a wingtip pylon, whereas the Russian Air Force MiG-29s have no wing-tip pylons.
The distinct white inversion trace arises upon launching a surface-to-air missile, not in the case of an air-to-air missile launch. There are many other inconsistencies in this obviously edited video recording. In particular, it is far from clear when and where the filming was done. Upon close scrutiny, the video shows two distinct roads running parallel to the sea. But in that particular area of seacoast in Abkhazia there are no such roads. And, on the contrary, absent from the footage is the famous Abkhaz sand beach more than 100 meters wide, which is well visible even when observed by satellite.
We think it was no mere chance that the Georgian representatives did not dare to officially show such a vulnerable video recording for experts at the UN Security Council meeting that was convened at their request on April 23, 2008.
April 29, 2008
