Tbilisi blames Russian troops for forest fire

Tbilisi: Georgia accused Russia on Sunday of deliberately starting a fire which threatens to destroy a forest regarded by Georgians as a national treasure.

Russia's Defence Ministry denied any involvement.

Georgia's Interior Ministry said Russian helicopter gunships swooped over a region near the Borjomi-Kharagauli national park in central Georgia on Friday and dropped bombs that set fire to the densely forested hills.

"We're sure that the Russians started the fires in our woods," ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili said.

Georgian Environment Minister Irakly Gvaladze also blamed Russian helicopters for starting the fires.

"Local people say that the fires were started by Russian helicopters. They flew over the forests and then the fires started,"" he said.

"Now the Russians are not allowing aviation teams from Ukraine and Turkey to help put out the fires."

Russian jets have bombed military bases, ports and radar installations in Georgia over the last nine days since the Kremlin launched a counter-attack against Georgia's invasion of the Russian-backed breakaway region of South Ossetia.

Russia's Defence Ministry said they are not to blame for the forest fire.