RUSSIAN President Dmitry Medvedev yesterday made an unannounced visit to Abkhazia, his first trip to the breakaway Georgian region since Moscow’s war with Tbilisi two years ago.

RUSSIA last night warned NATO over its naval presence in the Black Sea as Western powers lined up to condemn Moscow’s decision to recognise the independence of two Georgian rebel regions.

RUSSIA said yesterday an extra contingent of its troops had begun arriving in Georgia’s break-away region of Abkhazia, a move Tbilisi said was an illegal act of military aggression.

A helicopter carrying six UN military observers and three crew members was shot down today over Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazian region.