The United States has formally announced that it is sending a group of marines to Georgia to train its battalion for service as part of coalition forces in Afghanistan.

The move is likely to trigger concerns in Russia, which has strongly objected to the U.S. providing military assistance to neighboring Georgia.

"...The Government of Georgia will contribute a Georgian military infantry brigade to Afghanistan for service under U.S. Command in the International Security Assistance Force and that some Marines will be arriving in Georgia beginning on August 15 to implement a training program that will commence on September 1 to prepare the Georgian battalion for service in Afghanistan," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said in a statement on Friday.

U.S. military officials said 60-70 marines would be dispatched to the ex-Soviet Caucasus state for six months to help train a 750-strong battalion.

Moscow has accused Georgia''s ally Washington of promoting Tbilisi''s aggression against the former Georgian republic of South Ossetia last August. Russia repelled the attack, fighting a five-day war with Georgia.

The United States helped train Georgian troops for a mission in Iraq before last August''s armed conflict.