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TBILISI: Russia and Georgia have shut their embassies in each other's capitals following Tbilisi's decision to cut diplomatic ties with Moscow, officials and news agencies said on Wednesday.
"The Russian embassy in Georgia is no longer functioning. The consular section is closed as well, pending future directives from Moscow," embassy spokesman Alexander Savonov told AFP in Tbilisi.
In Moscow, Georgia's charge d'affaires Givi Shugarov told the Interfax news agency that the country's embassy had also ceased its diplomatic functions.
"As of now, the embassy has stopped its diplomatic activity," he said, adding that "the consulate of Georgia continues to work as usual".
Georgia on Tuesday formally broke diplomatic relations with Russia, following its occupation of parts of the country and recognition of two rebel regions.
Georgia's foreign ministry announced last week that it was planning to cut diplomatic ties, but maintain consular relations to serve hundreds of thousands of Georgians living in Russia.
The move came after Russia recognised two breakaway Georgian regions – Abkhazia and South Ossetia – as independent countries. Moscow's recognition of the two regions drew condemnation from Georgia and many Western countries.
Russia sent tanks and troops into Georgian territory in what officials said was a response to a Georgian offensive on August 7 to retake South Ossetia.
Moscow withdrew the bulk of its forces from Georgia under a French-brokered ceasefire agreement, but thousands of Russian troops remain deployed in the two rebel regions and in a buffer zone.
- AFP/so
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