Georgia says Russia deployed jets

TBILISI, GEORGIA — Georgia's foreign minister on Friday accused Russia of sending more than two dozen fighter jets to a base in the breakaway region of Abkhazia.

Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze said 27 jets were at the former Soviet airfield at Gudauta. He said the deployment was aimed against Georgia and was a violation of a 1999 treaty on conventional forces in Europe.

But Garry Kupalba, deputy defense minister of Abkhazia, said there were no Russian jets at the base. He said the base has not been used since 1993.

Moscow recognized Abkhazia as an independent nation after the war between Georgia and Russia in August.