Moscow/Tbilisi  - The Georgian government on Saturday accused Russia of open military aggression in the conflict over the breakaway Georgian regions of Abkhazia and East Ossetia.

"Russia's actions are a provocation and are further inciting tensions," Georgian Defence Minister Batu Kuteliya was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying in the Georgian capital Tbilisi.

On Friday, Russia held out the threat that it could use military force to protect the citizens of the two breakaway provinces.

"We do not want any new armed conflict, but a peaceful resolution of the problem," Kuteliya said. (dpa)