On January 22 2006, Two explosions occurred on the main branch and a reserve branch of the Mozdok-Tbilisi pipeline in the Russian border region of North Ossetia at around 0300 local time (2400 GMT).
The electricity transmission line in Russia's southern region of Karachayevo-Cherkessiya - also near the Georgian border - was brought down by an explosion just hours later.
The explosions suspended gas supply to Georgia and Armenia, at a time when the weather conditions were particualry severe. Georgian authorities claimed the explosions were a delibarate act of sabotage in order to blackmail the nation into surrendering its pipelines to the Russian state owned monoply Gazprom. Russians dissmiss those accusations claiming the charges were set by Chechen terrorists; this is however inconsistent with the Kremlin's previous claims that Georgia is aiding the Chechens.
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