"UN observers and peacekeepers are demanding an inspection of what Georgia calls police troops there," Sergei Ivanov said.
Georgian troops entered the Kodori Gorge to disarm a rebellious militia unit led by Emzar Kvitsiani, a former presidential envoy to Abkhazia. The gorge is the de facto border between Georgia and Abkhazia.
Georgia has maintained that it is a police operation, but Russian peacekeepers stationed in the region reported that Georgia had deployed military units in the area.
"This morning, Russian peacekeepers noticed about 50 vehicles, including 40 trucks, moving to the Kodori Gorge from Georgia," said Igor Konashenkov, deputy commander of the of the Russian Land Forces. The forces also registered a transfer of over 500 servicemen to the gorge, he said.
