MOSCOW: Russia has closed it's borders with Georgia and Azerbaijan for the nationals and carriers of countries which are not members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a body of former Soviet republics.

The cabinet notification of August 12 has temporarily banned third country aliens from entering into Russia through borders with Azerbaijan and Georgia to prevent infiltration of members of foreign terror outfits and smuggling of arms, government daily Rossiskaya Gazeta reported.

Addressing the National Anti-Terror Committee (NAC) its ex-officio Chairman, FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov today said the Russian security services have information about Georgia's plans to launch terror strikes inside Russia's Caucasian regions with the help of foreign terrorists and saboteurs and that he has ordered extra security measures.

Russian media have reported about arrests of a Georgian spy ring in the country, including an officer of the 58th Army currently carrying out military campaign in Georgia.

Hundreds of people were killed in a five-day Russian offensive against Georgian forces after the former Soviet republic launched an attack on breakaway province of South Ossetia.
Source : MMD English