‘Visible hand’ from US triggered protests in Georgia: Kremlin

MOSCOW (AA) – Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said that “a visible hand” from the US “triggered” protests in Georgia.

“The situation that triggered these popular unrest has nothing to do with the Russian Federation…. At the same time we see that someone’s hand is not ‘invisible’, it is quite visible,” said Peskov at a press briefing in Moscow.

“We can see where the president of Georgia, addressing (the Georgian) people … from America. And someone’s visible hand is diligently trying to add anti-Russian elements here,” he said.

Peskov added that there are risks of destabilization in so-called Abkhazia and South Ossetia, partially-recognized states, bordering Georgia.

The spokesman also criticized Armenia’s restrictions against some Russian citizens, amid recent Yerevan’s ban on entry for several Russian lawmakers and media managers.

The official also called freezing of the Russian assets in the EU “a violation of international law and an encroachment on property,” and also an “encroachment on the foundations of the world economy.”

“It’s illegitimate, it’s illegal. We will fight against this,” he added.