Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday voiced his concern over the seizure of Russian military trucks, saying Georgian servicemen's action had violated an agreement.

Georgian troops still held two Russian military trucks carrying missiles and other armaments in Georgia's rebel province of South Ossetia on Tuesday night while allowing other eight trucks detained to leave, Russian news agencies reported Wednesday.

"What has happened is causing serious concern. Georgian forces,which somehow appeared in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone, seized several cargoes in violation of the agreements reached by the Joint Monitoring Commission," Lavrov was quoted by Interfax assaying.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Gen. Nikolai Kormiltsev also expressed regret over the incident.

"These actions are regretful and only help increase tensions in the region," Kormiltsev said. "The convoy carrying this cargo was acting lawfully, and Georgia also approved of its mission."

He also expressed hope that the detained Russian trucks with weapons would be returned to the peacekeepers in the near future.

Defense ministry spokesman Vyacheslav Sedov earlier Wednesday described Georgian servicemen's action as "a provocation".

South Ossetia has won de-facto independence from Georgia following a bloody war that ended in 1992. It has repeatedly refused to start unification talks with the central government, vowing to be a part of Russia.

A joint peacekeeping contingent, composed of Russian, Georgian and South Ossetian troops, has been patrolling a conflict area between Georgia and South Ossetia since then. Tensions between Georgia and South Ossetia have risen in recent months.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has vowed to reunify the country by bringing South Ossetia and another rebel region Abkhazia back under control.

Russia insists that it respects Georgia's territorial integrity and does not support the attempt of South Ossetia, whose independence has not been internationally recognized.

Source: Xinhua