Georgians Fire on Zhirinovsky’s Convoy

Zhirinovsky’s convoy came under fire from the sea as it was traveling from the Russian costal town of Anapa to a resort in Abhazia. No information is known about the number of dead or injured.

Zhirinovsky, who is the Vice-Speaker of Russia’s Duma, and several of his friends decided to head to a resort in Abhazia even though Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili had warned that Russian tourist vessels approaching the harbors of Abhazia would be sunk.

A statement form Zhirinovsky’s LDPR declared, "The Georgian government did not give permission to Duma MPs to holiday in Abhazia."

Meanwhile, Georgian Minister of Defense Giorgi Baramidze is currently in Moscow to discuss Russia’s involvement in South Ossetia. Baramidze said that he informed Moscow of Tbilisi’s wish that Russia cease its arms shipments to South Ossetia.

A statement from South Ossetia indicates that Ossetian leader Edward Kokoeti would meet with Tbilisi if certain conditions are met. Kokoeti asks that both North Ossetia and Russia attend the meeting and that Georgian soldiers withdraw from the region.