TBILISI, October 28 (RIA Novosti) - Georgia's Foreign Ministry sent a note of protest to Russia on Wednesday, demanding the immediate release of 16 Georgians detained in the former Georgian republic of South Ossetia for illegally crossing the border.

"On October 26, Russian occupation troops, so-called border guards, kidnapped 16 Georgian citizens from the village of Gremiskhevi in Dusheti district, accusing them of illegally crossing the 'border' with South Ossetia," Georgia's Foreign Ministry said in the note, which was handed over to Swiss Ambassador to Georgia Lorenzo Amberg.

Switzerland has represented Russia's interests in Georgia and Georgia's interests in Russia following a five-day war between Moscow and Tbilisi over South Ossetia. Georgia cut diplomatic ties when Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another former Georgian republic.

Tbilisi expressed a "strong protest" against Russia's actions and a "flat demand to release immediately the illegally detained Georgian citizens."

"The abducted people still remain in illegal custody in a so-called prosecutor's office," the note said.

According to the republic's border officers, the Georgian citizens were detained in Leningorsky district after illegally crossing the border and chopping down trees.