A United Nations observer mission said on Monday a Russian fighter shot down an unmanned Georgian spy drone last month over the separatist Georgian region of Abkhazia, in a report that could inflame tensions between the two countries.

Russia continued to insist no aircraft from its air force had flown near the Georgian border on the day, suggesting video footage published by the Georgian authorities was faked. Abkhazia said its own anti-aircraft batteries had shot down the probe.