Guide Note

On August 7, 2007, a Russian fighter jet allegedly violated Georgia's airspace and fired a missile at the Georgian village of Tsitelubani. The missile did not detonate and no injuries were reported.

Fast Facts

1. The 2,200-pound missile left a 16-foot crater
2. Georgian officials detonated the missile under controlled conditions
3. Missile landed about 40 miles west of the Georgian capital of Tbilisi
4. Georgia accused Russia of violating its airspace in March 2007
5. Relations between Russia and Georgia have been tense since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union

Russian officials denied responsibility for the incident, accusing Georgia of firing the missile in its own country in an attempt to stir up tensions.

With the intention of regaining control of its breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Georgia "launched a huge offensive" in the latter region on August 8, 2008.

Georgia's actions prompted a military response from Russia, which sent tanks and troops to South Ossetia. According to the Telegraph, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov claimed Georgian forces were committing acts of "ethnic cleansing" on native Russians there. Georgia President Mikhail Saakashvili called Russia's involvement a "well-planned invasion."

Bloomberg reported that the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and NATO had expressed concern over the conflict, and called for an immediate cease-fire.