Azernews.Az

TBILISI – Former U.S. Ambassador to Tbilisi John Teft reported in his message to Washington that Georgian armed forces lost their ability to control the country's air space. Such conclusion can be made on the basis of the materials published by the WikiLeaks website, Georgia Times reported quoting the Russia’s Vzglyad newspaper.

Also, in his opinion, Georgia holds no control over the country's air space.

John Teft says that according to the information as of summer 2009, the country's defense strategy was based on the opportunity to fight within three days and nights and afterwards, the potential aggressor was to be stopped through international interference.

In the conflict in August 2008, Georgia lost, at least, 60% of air defense systems, 30% of armoured cars, 40% of guns produced in the USA. The diplomat underlines that the losses have not been recouped.

He reported that Ministry of Defense took a decision to reduce the army by 6 thousand people. As of last June, the message goes, Georgian army numbered 31 thousand people. "Minister of Defense told us confidentially that the final number of the armed forces will be at least 30 thousand people", the ambassador remarked.