Fake Russian Invasion News Report Panics Georgians

The opposition in Georgia has condemned a fake television report about the invasion of the former Soviet Republic by forces from neighbouring Russia. Georgia President Mikheil Saakhasvili has defended the report, following widespread panic caused by the broadcast.

Russian warplanes were seen flying over the country in a fake news report aired nationwide late Saturday by Georgia’s commercial Imedi television network.

A nervous looking presenter said Georgia had been invaded by Russian troops and that Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was among those killed. But Imedi was showing old footage about the brief war between Georgia and Russia in 2008 over the breakaway region of South Ossetia.

Viewers had been cautioned the report was fake, but many apparently did not see that warning.

Soon panic broke out with people seen running in the streets of the capital Tbilisi, where the network said Russian tanks had arrived.

Local media reported a record number of calls to emergency services and several incidents of heart attacks and fainting among shocked viewers, but officials said no deaths had been reported.