MOSCOW, November 22 (RIA Novosti) - A group of 22 Georgian nationals accused of illegally residing in Russia were deported Wednesday, a spokesman for the Federal Migration Service said.
The move follows hundreds of deportations of Georgians from Russia since a furious diplomatic row broke out between the ex-Soviet neighbors in September. Russia has also cracked down on 'illegal' Georgian businesses and suspended transport and rail links to Tbilisi.
"About an hour ago, 22 Georgian citizens were deported from Moscow to Tbilisi via Baku," Konstantin Poltoranin said.
Before the current crisis, which began with Tbilisi's brief detention of four spies, bilateral relations had been strained over the presence of Russian peacekeepers in conflict zones in two self-proclaimed republics in Georgia, and other issues including a Russian ban on imports of Georgian mineral water and wine.
