MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian defense ministry official said on Thursday that Russian military helicopters had not violated Georgian airspace, countering earlier claims by Georgia.

The Russian defense ministry's Igor Konashenkov told Russian news agencies: "During recent days over the territory adjoining the Georgian border, Russian military helicopters haven't made any flights," he said, according to RIA news agency.

Earlier Georgia's Foreign Ministry said on its website that a Russian Mi-8 combat helicopter had crossed into the country's airspace over an area adjacent to the rebel Georgian region of South Ossetia.

(Reporting by Alexander Winning; Editing by Toby Chopra)