Originally published on September 10, 2013 <br /><br />A senior Russian diplomat in Georgia's Moscow-backed breakaway Abkhazia region was shot dead on Monday by an unidentified gunman, Russian news agencies reported.<br /><br />The first secretary of the Russian embassy in Abkhazia, Dmitry Vishernev, was shot at close range as he drove out of a garage at his temporary home in the Black Sea region's main city, Sukhumi, Interfax reported.<br /><br />There was no immediate word on a possible motive, and the Russia Foreign Ministry declined comment, Reuters news agency reported. <br /><br />However local news agencies reported the assassination had been an act of terrorism.<br /><br />The diplomat was shot in the head at close range while reversing his car out of his garage, according to The Moscow Times. His wife was injured and hospitalised.<br /><br />Abkhazia, a lush coastal region that has a reputation for crime and corruption, broke from Georgian government control in a war that followed the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.<br /><br />Russia recognized Abkhazia and another rebel province, South Ossetia, as independent nations after fighting a five-day war with Georgia in 2008, angering NATO and the United States, and Moscow maintains troops in both regions. <br /><br />Only a few other countries consider them independent states.<br /><br />--------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />TomoNews is your daily source for top animated news. We've combined animation and video footage with a snarky personality to bring you the biggest and best stories from around the world.<br /><br />For news that's fun and never boring, visit our channel:<br />https://www.youtube.com/user/TomoNewsUS<br /><br />Subscribe to stay updated on all the top stories:<br />http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=TomoNewsUS<br /><br />Stay connected with us here:<br />Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TomoNewsUS<br />Twitter @tomonewsus http://www.twitter.com/TomoNewsUS<br />Google+ http://gplus.to/TomoNewsUS
