Panic in Georgia as bogus TV report says Russia has invaded

Panic was sparked in Georgia after a TV station broadcast news that Russian tanks had invaded the capital and the country's president was dead.

The Imedi network report, which brought back memories of the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia, was false.



But mobile phone networks were overwhelmed with calls and many people rushed onto the streets.

Imedi said the aim had been to show how events might unfold if the president were killed. It later apologised. The head of the holding company which owns Imedi TV, George Arveladze, said he was sorry for the distress that the TV report had caused.