"We got wind today of a third power. It comes out with provocations-and shooting comes next," he said in an interview with the Vesti news program of the Moscow-based Rossia television company, national Channel Two.
Yesterday's skirmish between two peacekeeping strongholds had been provoked, said the general. "There is no denying their regrettable skirmish. The shooting went on throughout the night into early morning."
Two military observer teams are going to the site this afternoon to investigate, he added.
Either conflicting side came out against the other today with reciprocal accusations of artillery shooting at villages.
Georgians shot at the South Ossetian village Pris on three occasions last night and in the small hours today, alleged Irina Gagloyeva, press and information committee chief of the unrecognized South Ossetian republic.
Georgia, on its part, is accusing Ossetians of shooting from Pris at the Georgian villages Eredvi and Argveti throughout the small hours. Five Georgian policemen and a villager were injured, say officers of the Shida Kartli provincial police board. The province borders on South Ossetia.
