Embassy of Russia, Tbilisi Georgia. Embassy of Russia, Tbilisi The Embassy of Russia in Tbilisi was the diplomatic mission of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Georgia. The chancery is located at 51 Chavchavadze Avenue in Tbilisi. On August 29, 2008, Georgia ordered the Russian ambassador Vyacheslav Kovalenko and all other Russian diplomats to leave the country and close the embassy and severed diplomatic relations with Russia. Russia and Georgia had previously fought a five-day war over two Georgian breakaway regions (Abkhazia and South Ossetia) declaring independence. The Russian Federation is represented through the Russian Federation Interests Section of the Embassy of Switzerland
International recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on 28 August 2008 argued that Medvedev's decree was "a blow below the belt" for Russia's ally Serbia. "If the changes in Abkhazia and South Ossetia occurred, as Russia claims, in accordance with the example set in Kosovo, then that means that Russia has indirectly admitted that Kosovo’s departure from Serbia was lawful." In September 2009, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, when asked by journalists why Abkhazia and South Ossetia should be internationally recognised and Kosovo not, said that "the strongest argument is the fact that at the time when Kosovo’s authorities made the UDI, nobody