The Russian Defense Ministry on Tuesday denied a Georgian claim that it has shot down a Russian reconnaissance drone over its territory.

"This is the latest media provocation by Georgia with the aim of destabilizing the situation in the region. The aircraft of Russia's defense ministry have conducted no flights in the security zone," said Alexander Dobyshevsky, the ministry's spokesman.

A Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman earlier said that Georgian forces had shot down an unmanned Russian reconnaissance drone near the village of Tsiteliubani, about 50 km northeast of the capital of Tbilisi.

(Xinhua News Agency September 23, 2008)