Georgia claims it quashed Russian-backed army mutiny

GEORGIA CLAIMED to have quashed a Russian-backed military mutiny yesterday, a claim that drew scorn from Moscow and domestic opposition groups, who accused Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili of trying to distract attention from his own political woes.

Officials initially said the alleged mutiny at the Mukhrovani tank base near the capital, Tbilisi, was part of a military coup against Mr Saakashvili, but later said its main aim had been to disrupt major Nato exercises in Georgia that are due to start today.

Some three hours after news broke of the uprising, about 30 tanks and armoured personnel carriers rumbled into the base, followed later by Mr Saakashvili and his defence and interior ministers.

“The plan was to stage a large-scale mutiny in Tbilisi and to take steps against the sovereignty of Georgia and Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration,” Mr Saakashvili said. “I demand that our northern neighbour refrain from provocations.” It was not clear how many of the 500 soldiers at the base were involved in the incident, but their commander was arrested and police said several other former military officers were being investigated.

Interior ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili said the mutiny had been put down without any violence. “The plan was co-ordinated with Russia, at a minimum to disrupt Nato military exercises and at a maximum to organise a large-scale military rebellion in Georgia,” he said.

“We have information that the rebels were in direct contact with Russians, that they were receiving orders from them, that they were receiving money from them.”

Moscow has been at odds with Mr Saakashvili since he ousted an ex-Soviet old guard in the 2003 Rose revolution, vowed to lead Georgia into Nato and became the West’s strongest ally in the volatile Caucasus region, which the Kremlin still regards as part of its “sphere of influence”.

Russian forces crushed Mr Saakashvili’s attempt last August to retake the rebel Georgian region of South Ossetia, which Moscow subsequently recognised as an independent state along with another separatist enclave, Abkhazia. Last week, Russian troops formally took control of border security in the two provinces, and Moscow officials condemned Nato’s plans for military exercises in Georgia.

“It would make more sense to hold the exercises in a lunatic asylum,” said Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s envoy to Nato, who poured scorn on Mr Saakashvili’s “insane accusations”.

Nato said the month-long exercises, involving 19 members and partners of the alliance, would take place as planned. Only Armenia – a Russian ally in the Caucasus – pulled out after yesterday’s events.

Analysts suggested the alleged mutiny could be linked to plans to use the military to break up month-long protests against Mr Saakashvili. “I have the impression this is nothing but a theatrical show staged by Saakashvili to distract people from the ongoing protests against his rule,” said one opposition leader, David Gamkrelidze.