( CNN ) -- Georgian authorities foiled an attempted army mutiny that they believe was designed to disrupt planned NATO exercises in the former Soviet republic , the country 's interior ministry said Tuesday . Georgian troops take part in military exercises in January . They are to participate in NATO maneuvers this week . About 500 troops at a military base outside the capital , Tbilisi , were involved in the rebellion , said Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili . He said it was quickly brought under control , and the government reported a few hours later that the base was calm . Initial investigations suggest that Russia , Georgia 's northern neighbor and former ruler , may have had a hand in the mutiny , Utiashvili said . Russia denied involvement in the incident . `` Tbilisi has pulled yet another anti-Russian prank . ... This is not the first time we are so vocally blamed for interfering . It is typical that each time the charges become more ridiculous , '' the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement . Utiashvili claimed that Georgia had secret recordings of the mutineers saying they had `` full Russian support . '' `` We know Russia is against the planned NATO exercises in Georgia . We know they have increased the troops at the border . We do n't have 100 percent evidence right now , because the investigation is ongoing , '' he said . But , he added , until the investigation is complete , officials wo n't point a finger at Russia . On Tuesday afternoon , Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili called on Russia to stop `` provocative maneuvers '' in Georgia , according to Georgia 's English-language Prime News . Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war in August over the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia , the first time Russia sent troops abroad in anger since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 . NATO is expected to launch month-long military exercises this week in Georgia . The move has angered Russia , which accused the alliance of `` muscle-flexing . '' `` All kinds of things have been said , '' the Russian Foreign Ministry said . `` But it has never before been claimed that Russia is trying to overthrow the Georgian government with the help of the Georgian armed forces . In this regard , we once again reiterate that Russia does not interfere in the internal affairs of Georgia on principle . We do not believe in scripts imposed from the outside . '' NATO said it had no comment on the incident because it did not independently confirm the event . However , a NATO spokeswoman in Brussels said Tuesday that exercises planned for Wednesday are `` still on '' and that `` nothing has changed '' after the attempted mutiny . `` The timing chosen by Tbilisi for its latest action is telling : the day before the start of NATO exercises in Georgia , '' the Russian Foreign Ministry said . `` We strongly warned our partners that the exercises were absolutely inappropriate in the current highly charged atmosphere within Georgia and the region . Our warnings were not heeded . '' Georgia 's Utiashvili said the rebelling soldiers were heard saying they were `` unhappy with the political situation in the country . '' One person was arrested , and authorities are looking for another in connection with the attempted mutiny , Georgia 's Ministry of Internal Affairs said . The person in custody , Gia Ghvaladze , served as a major in the Special Forces Department at the now-disbanded Ministry of State Security , Georgian officials said . He is being held on charges of organizing a military mutiny . In an undercover tape released by Georgian officials , a man is heard saying , `` Russians will come . About 5,000 men , two battalions . Can you imagine ? Five thousand men . Do you know how big this is ? '' CNN could not confirm the authenticity of the tape , but the Georgian government said it implicates Ghvaladze . Authorities said they are looking for the second man , Koba Otanadze , who is wanted for his role in organizing the mutiny . Otanadze helped lead a military mutiny at the same base in May 2001 , the Ministry of Internal Affairs said . A third person -- Zaza Mushkudiani , the head of the Georgian ranger battalion -- was also being investigated , the ministry said , but it was unclear whether he was in custody . NATO is expected to launch month-long military exercises this week in Georgia . The move has angered Russia , Georgia 's neighbor to the north , which accused the alliance of `` muscle-flexing . '' Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov postponed his trip to Brussels , Belgium , for the ministerial meeting of the NATO-Russia Council because of the planned NATO exercises , Lavrov told the Itar-Tass news agency . In April , Saakashvili vowed to remain in office until his term ends , defying calls by anti-government protesters that he step down . Up to 60,000 demonstrators took to the streets , blaming the president for leading the country with Russia and plunging it into a political crisis . They also were angry about rising poverty in the country . CNN 's Matthew Chance and Nunu Japaridze contributed to this report .
NEW : Georgian TV release video of man saying ` ` Russia will come '' Russia denies involvement , accusing Tbilisi of ` ` yet another anti - Russian prank '' Authorities believe mutiny intended to disrupt NATO exercises this morning in Georgia . Russia says it disagrees with NATO plans to disrupt exercises .