Russian forces illegally detain Georgian citizen near occupation line, authorities report

Russian forces illegally detained a Georgian national near the village of Adzvi on July 13 by the border with the occupied region of South Ossetia, Georgia's State Security Service (SUS) reported.

According to the SUS, information about the illegal detention was immediately transferred to the EU monitoring mission in Georgia.

"Russian occupation forces are responsible for all destructive actions committed on the occupied territories of Georgia, as well as along the occupation line," the SUS said.

Moscow gained full control of the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia after it launched its invasion of Georgia in 2008. The arrest of civilians has been a common occurrence near the occupation line.

A Georgian national was killed by Russian forces near South Ossetia in November 2023, in what was the first fatality by the occupation line since 2008.