05/05/2009 13:44 TBILISI, May 5 (RIA Novosti) - An armored infantry battalion refused to obey orders at the Mukhrovani military base outside the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Tuesday amid reports of an alleged military coup plot, Georgia's defense minister said.
David Sikharulidze said the revolt occurred after the Interior Ministry announced earlier on Tuesday that it had uncovered a plot within the military to stage a coup.
The ministry said that the coup had been organized by former senior military officials with links to Russia's security services.
Speaking at a news briefing, Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili said: "The plan had been coordinated with Russia and was aimed at disrupting the NATO-led military exercises [in Georgia] as a minimum and staging a military coup across the country as a maximum."
Russia earlier said holding the drills in Georgia after last August's war over South Ossetia was "an open provocation" that could have negative reverberations. The exercise is due to begin on Wednesday.
Russia and Georgia fought a brief war, with Moscow repelling Tbilisi's offensive on pro-Russian South Ossetia.
The ex-Soviet republic's capital has for weeks been subject to opposition protests demanding President Mikheil Saakashvili's resignation over the war and his backsliding on democracy.
Utiashvili said the plotters had received funding from Russia, and one former military official has been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the coup attempt and several others are now wanted in connection with the incident.
Another Interior Ministry official, Shota Khizanishvili, said military police have cordoned off the base, 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) from Tbilisi.
The Imedi TV channel said Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili was due to arrive at the base for talks with military personnel. The ministry has not confirmed the report.
Georgian opposition paints 'bloody trail' at Interior Ministry
04/05/2009 20:10 TBILISI, May 4 (RIA Novosti) - Activists of a Georgian youth opposition movement painted on Monday red "bloody" hand- and footprints on an Interior Ministry building in the capital, Tbilisi.
The protests were organized by the youth wing of the Conservative Party and the Movement for United Georgia, who accuse the ministry of violence against opposition members.
"All the trails leading to this building are blood-stained," an activist said.
Opposition members also threw eggs covered in red paint at the building and wrote "Danger for Georgia" on one of its walls.
Protesters demanding the resignation of President Mikheil Saakashvili have been on the streets of the Georgian capital since April 9.
