"No exercise in May for the personnel of the 12th Russian military base of the Transcaucasian group of troops on the Gonio proving ground in Batumi has, or is being planned", he said. And added that the personnel is now engaged in routine activities as scheduled.
Sedov was surprised by the pronouncements of the relative officials in Adzharia (Georgia's autonomy, on whose territory the base is located).
"The Russian Defense Ministry is perplexed over the utterances by some Adzharian officials that, ostensibly, a large-scale exercise with the use of artillery and tanks will be held on the Gonio proving ground of the 12th base on May 5 to 12", Sedov said.
Earlier, the press service of the Adzharian prime minister said that a scheduled exercise of the 12th Russian military base in Batumi, due to be held on Gonio on May 5 to 6, was postponed at Adzharia's request.
The press service said that on May 4 Adzharian Prime Minister Levan Varshalomidze had met with the base commanders and asked them to put off the scheduled exercise because on May 6 Adzharia was to hold official functions on the anniversary of the change of power in the autonomy.
