Three Russian Servicemen Killed As Military Vehicle Overturns in Abkhazia

ROSTOV-ON-DON (Sputnik) - Three Russian servicemen were killed and two others were injured when a BTR-80 armored personnel carrier overturned in a gorge in Abkhazia, the Southern Military District's press service said in a statement Monday.

"On January 18, when a military convoy was moving from the Tsabal mountain range to the permanent deployment point in Abkhazia, on a difficult section of the road, the BTR-80 overturned into a gorge. As a result of the accident, three servicemen died," the statement said.

The injured servicemen have been evacuated by choppers to the nearest military hospital. Their condition is currently unknown.

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A military commission is investigating the case, prioritizing two versions — a technical malfunction and that the driver lost control of the vehicle.

In 2008, Russia recognized Abkhazia's independence in the wake of Georgia's military offensive against South Ossetia. Abkhazia's independence has been recognized by six UN member states (Nauru, Nicaragua, Russia, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Venezuela), apart from Syria. Tuvalu and Vanuatu, however, subsequently withdrew their recognition.