TBLISI, Georgia, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Georgia's president blamed Russia for two explosions on Russian pipelines that cut off natural gas to Georgia and Armenia.
Though he offered no evidence, President Mikhail Saakashvili told the BBC the near simultaneous attacks close to Georgia's border were orchestrated by Russia as Georgia undergoes extremely cold weather.
An electricity transmission line was also destroyed.
Russia's Foreign Ministry dismissed Saakashvili's remarks as "hysteria."
Earlier, Russian prosecutors described the attacks as deliberate criminal acts and said an investigation was under way.
The BBC said Georgia has no gas reserves and was due to run out of gas late Sunday.
Georgian-Russian relations have been strained since Saakashvili came to power through the "Rose Revolution" in 2003 and said he would lead his nation on a pro-Western course.
