Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili denied on Monday the existence of clear-cut evidence that links Russia with the attempted coup last week in Georgia.
The president previously claimed that he had verified information that Russian secret services were behind the mutiny by a Georgian tank unit, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.
However, Saakashvili told the Echo of Moscow radio on Monday that he "never said that we have precise information."
Saakashvili said Georgia has no intentions to provoke Russia, which is no different than a suicidal act for his country.
Georgian officials said a mutiny happened on May 5 when about 500 members of a tank battalion stationed at a military base in Mukhrovani, 30 km from Tbilisi, announced that they would refuse to follow orders. The mutiny ended peacefully when most of the participants surrendered.
The Georgian Interior Ministry said on the same day that the mutiny was supported by Russia, in an attempt to topple the Georgian leadership.
Several local media reported at that time that the Georgian head of state accused Russia of conspiring with the former Georgian military officials to stage the coup.
Meanwhile, Russian media reported on Monday that Georgia has arrested two senior commanders over the attempted coup last week.
Commanders of the first and third infantry brigades, David Sulkhanishvili and Kakha Kobaidze, have been detained over failure to share information on the planned mutiny.
"These individuals knew about the organizers and participants in the mutiny in the army unit in Mukhrovani. However, they did not inform their direct superiors or law enforcers about that," the Interfax news agency quoted the head of the investigative division of the military police, Gaga Kirkitadze, as saying.
He said actions of the two officers, who had been dismissed from their posts, are regarded as complicity in a grave crime.
Source: Xinhua
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