Putin fury at Georgia arrests

THE commander of Russian military forces in Georgia yesterday said his troops had been put on high alert and ordered to use lethal force to defend their bases as tensions mount after the arrest of four Russian military officers accused of spying.

Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced the Georgian authorities’ arrests as “state terrorism” and blamed unidentified foreign nations for the crisis.

But he ordered the Defence Ministry to continue the pullout of Russian troops from the former Soviet republic in line with earlier agreements in an apparent bid to avoid foreign criticism. The move came a day after a Russian general said the troop withdrawals would be suspended.

Some Russian lawmakers accused the US of instigating the arrests.

General Andrei Popov said Russian law authorises the military to use force to defend their bases abroad from aggression.

“We are ready to thwart any possible attempts to penetrate our facilities using all means, including shoot to kill,” he told reporters.

Moscow, infuriated by Wednesday’s arrest of four Russian officers, recalled its ambassador, evacuated its citizens and denounced Georgia as a “bandit” state.

Ties between Tbilisi and Moscow were already strained by Georgia’s bid to join NATO and allegations that Russia was backing two Georgian, separatist provinces. Moscow denies that claim.