Georgian Minister of Education Dmitry Shashkin stated in Yerevan that the opposition of Javakheti Armenians to Russian troops in 2008 helped to prevent their advancement.

The Javakheti Diaspora of Russia refuted his statements in comments to Georgia Times. “Leaving Khashuri town, Russian servicemen committed an error and headed for Borzhom gorge. Driving out of the gorge, they saw a group of cars and people and stopped to clarify where they are. At that moment Georgians started shouting that it is Armenia’s territory. Thus, the Russian servicemen drove back to Gori town,” Javakheti Armenians say.

The Georgian Minister was in Armenia to participate in an opening ceremony of Georgian linguistic center in a higher education institution of Yerevan.