| New Commander of Russia's Troops in Transcaucasia, Major General Alexander Bespalov has been denied an entry visa to Georgia and is unable to arrive in Tbilisi, notwithstanding that the RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs notified in advance the Georgian Foreign Ministry about forthcoming change in the troops' commander. Major General Bespalov has replaced Lieutenant General Alexander Studenikin, who was appointed to command the 2nd Guards All-Arms Army (Samara). Bespalov, who arrived from Moscow after finishing the General Staff's Military Academy, had to take over the office not in the staff of the Transcaucasia's troops in Tbilisi, but in the territory of the 102nd Russia's military base in Gyumri, Armenia. According to Vladimir Kuparadze, Deputy Commander of the Transcaucasia's troops, Georgia has given no reasons for visa's denial to Bespalov. |