Two More Downed by Abkhazian AD

[Feanor]

Claims of two more shot down UAV's are surfacing. The alleged shoot down occured on Sunday. Georgian gov. is once again denying everything. Perhaps once some evidence surfaces, we will get more video's of "Russian MiG's shooting down Georgian UAV".

Rebels Shoot Down Two Georgian Drones; Georgia Denies Reports

May 4, 2008 12:23 p.m. EST

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Mayur Pahilajani - AHN News Writer

Sukhumi, Georgia (AHN) - Two Georgian unmanned spy planes were shot down on Sunday over the country's breakaway region of Abkhazia by the separatist forces, according to the Russian reports.

While, Georgia's acting Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze denied the information by Russian media reports about the news that any Georgian spy drones were lost on Sunday since none were flying in the separatist region.

Similar attacks on the Georgian spy drones were reported two weeks ago by the reports.

"The Foreign Ministry confirms that no Georgian UAVs were flying over Abkhaz territory today as reported by the Abkhaz side," Vashadze, referring to unmanned aerial vehicles, was quoted saying by Bloomberg news report.

"The reports of UAVs shot down are just part of the aggressive campaign carried out by Russia against Georgia," he said on Sunday by mobile telephone in the capital Tbilisi.

Georgia have been in a tussle with Russia over Moscow's support for Abkhazia as well as South Ossetia.

But the tensions between the two nations increased after Georgia reportedly accused Moscow of shooting down its pilotless reconnaissance plane over the region two weeks ago, according to AP news agency.

The state-run RIA Novosti news service is one of the Russian media reporting about the planes being destroyed, raising the total number of unmanned Georgian spy planes to four since mid-March claimed by Moscow.

Due to rising tensions in the region, UN peacekeepers have been deployed in the separatist regions around two decades now after the two areas succeeded from Georgia.

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7010846018

Also anonimous reports are filtering in about the possibility of a Georgian offensive into Abkhazia. The newsru.com article is here, unfortunately only in Russian.

http://newsru.com/world/04may2008/razv.html

[PullerRommel]

What does Abkhazia posess in the form of AD i cant really find anything. Also are reports of Georgian military massing at the border valid or is it Moscow Rabble?

[Feanor]

It seems possible that they are indeed massing troops. But accurate information is almost impossible to get. After all Russia said they are moving in additional peacekeepers into the region. I'm guessing that is a likely response to a Georgian build up. Or it could all be a bunch of bs.

In terms of AD Georgia has ZSU-23-4 Shilkas, several, ZSU-23, an unknown number, and Igla MANPADS, lots of.

[chakos]

what i would like to know is why does Georgia even attempt to mass troops knowing full well they have 0.01% chance of stopping the Russian army group that will definatelly be on its way if things turn ugly. Do they really think that the US and NATO will jump in. They will get a true taste of realpolitik when they realise the yanks wont trade New York for Georgia.

[Feanor]

They're betting Russia won't interfere. Then again Russia did recently strengthen it's positions in the region. Two new mountain forces brigades were recently created in the Caucus area. Entirely contract-soldier forces too.

[PullerRommel]

I have also read the Abkhazia and Russia are supposed to be signing a treaty guranteeing military protection
http://en.rian.ru/world/20080428/106117205.html


And here Georgia pulls out of AD treaty w/ Russia
http://en.rian.ru/world/20080505/106633895.html

[Feanor]

Georgia never participated in the CIS AD actions. Recently there was a large CIS AD training exercise (right before Georgia pulled out iirc) and Georgia did not participate. Their inclusion was a pure formality.

EDIT: arms-expo.ru just reported another Georgian UAV that however was not shot down. It quotes the Abkhazian minister of defense claiming they have the radar data to prove it, but didn't shoot it down. It doesn't specify whether they didn't because they couldn't or because they chose not to (the latter is implied but it seems unlikely that they'd pass up a chance if they had one). http://arms-expo.ru/site.xp/049057052048124050049056048.html

[IrishHitman]

They're betting Russia won't interfere. Then again Russia did recently strengthen it's positions in the region. Two new mountain forces brigades were recently created in the Caucus area. Entirely contract-soldier forces too.

They are mostly likely reminding the Georgians that they are within the Russian sphere of influence. A political move, no doubt.

[Feanor]

And another UAV shot down, this one was carrying a missile (allegedly, Georgian MoD denies all except the one they blame Russia for).

http://newsru.com/world/09may2008/bespilotka.html

Sorry that the links I provide are in Russian, most of my newspaper reading is done in my native tongue. Essentially it re-iterates the status quo, and then mentions that the UAV was carrying a A2A missile.

EDIT: So as of right now 5 Georgian UAV's have been allegedly shot down. Georgia denies all but one, which it also originally denied. However when remains of it surfaced and were shown publicly the Georgian gov. changed their story and now claims Russia shot it down.

[windscorpion]

A2A missile? Sounds unlikely. Assuming it was another Hermes 450 a typical AAM like a Sidewinder would be half the length of the UAV.

[IrishHitman]

And another UAV shot down, this one was carrying a missile (allegedly, Georgian MoD denies all except the one they blame Russia for).

http://newsru.com/world/09may2008/bespilotka.html

Sorry that the links I provide are in Russian, most of my newspaper reading is done in my native tongue. Essentially it re-iterates the status quo, and then mentions that the UAV was carrying a A2A missile.

EDIT: So as of right now 5 Georgian UAV's have been allegedly shot down. Georgia denies all but one, which it also originally denied. However when remains of it surfaced and were shown publicly the Georgian gov. changed their story and now claims Russia shot it down.

This just keeps getting better and better...
I wonder how the diplomats will sort this one out?

[Feanor]

It didn't mention what missile it was. Nor was there anything really beyond another claim. I am a bit skeptical that this many Georgian UAV's were shot down in so short a time period. Nothing for years, and all of a sudden 5 shot down, but only wreckage from one presented publicly. All by "Abkhazian PVO" which consists of a few armed trainers (L-39), some SPAAG, AAA, and MANPADS.

[IrishHitman]

Well, I somehow doubt that the Georgian UAVs are all that hard to shoot down anyway....

[Feanor]

Apparently another one has been shot down. This is starting to turn into a circus. Abkahzian officials were able to present wreckage to the press. Georgia still denies all of this.

http://newsru.com/world/12may2008/abhaz.html

[drandul]

Apparently another one has been shot down. This is starting to turn into a circus. Abkahzian officials were able to present wreckage to the press. Georgia still denies all of this.

http://newsru.com/world/12may2008/abhaz.html
I wonder- how much price of one Hermes 450 in comparation for example with "archer" ? - does any one have an idea?

[kato]

Around $2 million, depending on payload.