The US Department of State has released a statement regarding the recent situation near Chorchana village.

“The United States is monitoring reports of military buildup near the administrative boundary line (ABL) of the Russian-occupied Georgian region of South Ossetia. We call on all sides to avoid escalation and work through the European Monitoring Mission hotline and the Geneva International Discussion Co-Chairs to resolve the situation,” the statement reads.

The US Department of State calls on the Russian Federation to utilize all available channels to “prevent further escalation of the situation along the ABL.”