Russian troops leave Georgia
Pullout comes as Georgia says it will lift week-long state of emergency.
Maslov’s aide, Colonel Igor Konashenkov, said the final convoy of troops and equipment based in Batumi in southwest Georgia had already crossed into Armenia to set up base in the northern town of Gyumri.
Russia pulled out its troops from the Akhalkalaki base in June following increased scrutiny and criticism of its activities in Georgia.
Russia blamed
Mikhail Saakashvili, the Georgian president, imposed emergency rule after police crushed street protests and raided an opposition television station last week.
He accused Russia of staging the protests in an attempt to overthrow his government.
Facing a barrage of complaints that he was cracking down on democratic freedoms, Saakashvili last week set a snap presidential election for January 5 in a move aimed at defusing the tension with the opposition.
Saakashvili defended the emergency rule this week, saying that Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, had threatened to divide the nation permanently along ethnic lines.