Georgia formally cuts diplomatic ties with Russia

"The Russian Federations envoy in Georgia, Andrei Smaga, has been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and handed a note informing the Russian Federation that diplomatic relations between Georgia and Russia are severed," foreign ministry spokeswoman Nato Chikovani told AFP.

"From this moment, there are no more diplomatic relations between the two countries," she said.

The foreign ministry had announced Friday it was cutting diplomatic ties with Russia but maintaining consular relations.

The move came after Russia recognized two breakaway Georgian regions -- Abkhazia and South Ossetia -- as independent countries. Moscow’s recognition of the two regions drew condemnation from Georgia and many Western countries.

Russia sent tanks and troops into Georgian territory in what officials say was a response to a Georgian offensive on August 7 to retake South Ossetia.

Moscow withdrew the bulk of its forces from Georgia under a French-brokered ceasefire agreement, but thousands of Russian troops remain deployed in the two rebel regions and in a buffer zone.