Georgia to help Russia search for victims in Tu-154 crash

Georgia is ready to assist Russia to search for victims of the Tu-154 plane crash, said Zurab Abashidze, Georgian prime minister's special envoy for relations with Russia here on Tuesday.

Abashidze told local media that Georgia will provide Russia with assistance if it so requests.

"Any state is obliged to provide humanitarian aid. We have the relevant experience such as conducting a search for those missing in Kazbegi landslide," he said, adding that the Russian side has not put forward such a request so far.

The ill-fated Russian military Tu-154, en route to Russia's Hmeimin air base in the Syrian port city of Latakia, crashed shortly after takeoff from the Black Sea resort city of Sochi early Sunday morning, killing all 92 people aboard.

Among the passengers were 64 members of the Alexandrov Ensemble, a renowned choir of the Russian Armed Forces, as well as nine Russian journalists. They were heading to the Hmeimim air base in the Syrian port city of Latakia for New Year celebrations. Endi