Reports: 2 spy planes downed over breakaway Georgia region

SUKHUMI, Georgia (AP) - Two unmanned Georgian spy planes were shot down Sunday over the country's breakaway region of Abkhazia, an Abkhazian official and Russia's Interfax news agency reported.

The statements came amid escalating tension after Georgia claimed a Russian jet shot down a reconnaissance plane over Abkhazia two weeks ago. Russia denied involvement.

Separatist Abkhazian officials said their forces shot down that plane. They also claimed responsibility for the two drones downed on Sunday.

A Georgian Foreign Ministry official, Maka Gigauri, dismissed the claims as "completely absurd disinformation" aimed at increasing tension in the area.

One drone was shot down by Abkhazian anti-aircraft forces and another one was spotted in the air nearby, Ruslan Kishmaria, a representative of Abkhazia's president told The Associated Press.

Interfax later cited Kishmaria as saying the second craft had also been downed.

Abkhazia and another breakaway region, South Ossetia, seek either independence from Georgia or absorption into Russia.

Conflicting claims over aircraft downings have deepened tension between Georgia and Russia, which is strengthening its support in both breakaway regions as Georgia pushes for NATO membership.

Russia has peacekeeping forces in both, but Georgia contends the troops support the separatists.