Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

The Russian border guard service has arrested 27 people of Georgian nationality in Abkhazia.

According to the Georgian Interior Ministry, they were detained in the Nabakevi village while attempting to cross to the Zugdidi region, which is controlled by Georgia, from the territory of breakaway Republic of Abkhazia.

All 27 detainees were sent to the prison in the Gali district. They were charged with illegally crossing the so-called Abkhaz border with Georgia.

The Georgian Interior Ministry reported the EU observers in Georgia about detainees and talks with the Abkhaz side to release the Georgian citizens are being held now.

Earlier, the Russian border guard service has arrested three Georgian citizens in the breakaway region of South Ossetia. According to the Georgian side, three residents of Zegduleti village were arrested by armed men on their way to a neighboring village. Nana Vanishvili, Alexander Tsertsvadze and Irakli Merabishvili are accused of crossing the so-called South Ossetian border.

Georgia and Russia, its giant northern neighbor, have maintained no diplomatic relations since a brief war in 2008. Tbilisi broke off relations with Moscow in August 2008 when Moscow crushed a Georgian assault to reassert control over two rebel regions -- South Ossetia and Abkhazia -- and later recognized the regions. Georgia announced the two unrecognized republics as occupied territories in September 2008.