The Russian defense ministry on Sunday denied reports that its air force bombed the international airport of Tbilisi, capital of Georgia, saying they were mere "provocative propaganda" by Georgian authorities.

It was "disinformation" distributed by Georgia to delude the international community about events in South Ossetia, Interfax news agency quoted a Russian defense ministry spokesman as saying.

Earlier reports have said the Russian air force had bombed a civilian international airport in Tbilisi as well as a military airport in a suburbs of the city.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry said Sunday that Georgian armed forces were stopping firing in its breakaway region of South Ossetia.

On Friday, Georgian troops began a military action against South Ossetia's forces in an attempt to re-establish control over the region.

In response, Russian troops moved into the region, and on Saturday, the Russian army said it took full control of the provincial capital Tskhinvali from Georgian forces.

South Ossetia, along with another breakaway republic of Abkhazia, broke away from Georgia in the 1990s following the collapse of the former Soviet Union. But their self-proclaimed independence has not been internationally recognized.

The long-standing conflict between Georgia and South Ossetia worsened on Aug. 1-2, when the South Ossetian authorities accused Georgian forces of shelling Tskhinvali.

(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2008)