Russian embassy in Georgia halts operations

A top Russian diplomat in Georgia says Russia has shut its embassy and suspended operations of its consulate in the former Soviet republic.

Russian Consul Valery Vasilyev says the moves came after Georgia yesterday officially informed Russia it is severing diplomatic ties in the wake of last month’s war.

Georgia announced the decision last week but said its consulate in Moscow would continue to operate.

Mr Vasilyev said today that Russia’s consulate in Georgia has halted operations until further instructions from Moscow.

He said existing visa applications would be processed but that no more would be accepted.

That means Georgians without existing visas or dual citizenship cannot travel to Russia.

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has sternly warned the West that it would lose more than Moscow if it tried to punish Russia with sanctions over the war with Georgia.

In an interview with Italian RAI television yesterday, Mr Medvedev said Russia did not fear expulsion from the G8 group of leading industrialised nations.

“The G8 will be practically unable to function without Russia, because it can make decisions only if they reflect the opinion of top global economies and leading political players of the world,” Mr Medvedev said. “That’s why we don’t fear being expelled from the G8.”

US presidential candidate John McCain was among those who called for Russia’s expulsion from the elite club of the world’s richest countries.

A third US Navy ship carrying humanitarian aid is crossing the Turkish Straits on its way to Georgia.

The USS Mount Whitney steamed through the Dardanelles early today and was expected to pass through the Bosporus later in the day.

The two Turkish-controlled straits link the Mediterranean to the Black Sea.

The ship is the third US Navy vessel the country’s military said would take supplies such as blankets, hygiene kits and baby food to Georgia following its war with Russia over South Ossetia.

One of the three US ships, the USS McFaul, sailed back through the straits toward the Mediterranean late on Monday.

Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin yesterday complained about an increase of Nato ships in the region and promised to respond.