TBILISI, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Georgia's Interior Ministry said on Saturday that Russian troops had blown up a railway bridge about 45 km (30 miles) from the Georgian capital Tbilisi.

Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili said troops had destroyed the bridge in the Kaspi region west of Tbilisi, "paralysing the Georgian railway network". Reuters could not independently verify the report.

A Reuters correspondent saw Russian armoured personnel carriers and soldiers advance to the area on Friday from the Russian-occupied town of Gori near breakaway South Ossetia. (Reporting by Margarita Antidze)

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