Georgia claims at least five Russian planes shot down

TBILISI - Georgia's air force has shot down at least five Russian aircraft amid fighting in South Ossetia, a spokesman for Georgia's interior ministry told AFP on Friday.

"The Georgian air force has downed at least five Russian aircraft," the spokesman, Shota Utiashvili, told AFP, adding: "Bitter fighting is ongoing in Tskhinvali."

Earlier, Utiashvili told AFP that Georgia's air force downed two Russian military planes on Friday during fighting to recapture South Ossetia.

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