Russia accuses Ukraine over Georgia war 

At least 200 nationalists from the Ukrainian nationalist and paramilitary organisation UNA-UNSO effectively fought against Russian forces during the war, according to Vladimir Markin, who was speaking for the Russian general prosecutor's office on Monday (24 August). 

Ukrainian forces fled after Russia's military victory, leaving behind all their equipment, Markin said, according to the Russian press. 

The Russian official cited leftover equipment and personal belongings, including identity documents with Ukrainian family names, such as Shapoval, Kucherenko, Shevchenko, Matvsyuk and Zheltokon. 

Earlier reports that Ukraine had imported anti-aircraft missiles to be used in Georgia have also been confirmed, Markin said. Missiles of the type 'Buk-M' and 'Osa-Oka' with their factory numbers were held as material evidence, he added. 

Kiev was quick to deny the Russian accusations. 

"This is propaganda. Our troops have not been there [in Georgia]," Ukrainian Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Sergei Kuzmin was quoted as saying by the Ukrainian press. 

Nikolai Karpyuk, deputy head of UNA-UNSO, also denied that his organisation had participated in the Georgia war. 

The Russian accusations were made public on 24 August, Ukraine's National Day, which marks the country's independence from Moscow 18 years ago. 

Earlier this month, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused his Ukrainian colleague Viktor Yushchenko of "anti-Russian policies". He called for a new Ukrainian leader to break with the incumbent's policies and co-operate with Moscow. Presidential elections are due in Ukraine on 17 January 2010.