Deputy Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia, General Gilles Janvier welcomed “swift release” of three Russian civilians by the Georgian authorities. 

Three Russians construction workers were arrested close to the village of Nikozi on the Georgian side of the administrative border on November 23 for illegally entering the Georgian territory from Russia into South Ossetia. The three men were handed over to the Russian side with mediation of EU monitors on November 24.

“EUMM welcomes the practical way this case was handled by all sides through the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism hotline,” the EUMM said. “We very much hope that the IPRM process will continue to act as the forum for future such activities.”