tagged w/ Tbilisi
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Independent OSCE observers are refuting Georgian claims of Russia's "unprovoked aggression". These claims, if you remember, are central to the West's support of Saakashvili (who's seen as having his hand forced by tricksy Russians) and denouncements of Putin/Medvedev "disproportinal" response.
NYT wrote:
TBILISI, Georgia — Newly available accounts by independent military observers of the beginning of the war between Georgia and Russia this summer call into question the longstanding Georgian assertion that it was acting defensively against separatist and Russian aggression.
Georgia moved forces toward the border of the breakaway region of South Ossetia on Aug. 7, at the start of what it called a defensive war with separatists there and with Russian forces.
Instead, the accounts suggest that Georgia’s inexperienced military attacked the isolated separatist capital of Tskhinvali on Aug. 7 with indiscriminate artillery and rocket fire, exposing civilians, Russian peacekeepers and unarmed monitors to harm.Independent OSCE observers are refuting Georgian claims of Russia's... more
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There is disagreement between Moscow and Tbilisi over whether or not Russia has begun withdrawing troops from Georgia, as promised.
Announcing a "pull-back" from Georgia proper into South Ossetia, a Russian general made clear he did not regard the province as Georgian territory.
According to Russian media, some combat units inside South Ossetia were withdrawn to Russia during the day.
A top Georgian official said there was no evidence of any Russian withdrawal.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev earlier promised to abide by the terms of a ceasefire brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
We are talking about pulling back to the territory of South Ossetia
Col-Gen Anatoly Nogovitsyn
deputy chief of the Russian General Staff
The conflict over South Ossetia erupted 11 days ago, when the Georgian army tried to wrest back control and Russia sent in its troops to drive them out.
Russian troops remain stationed near the Georgian capital Tbilisi, with Moscow saying it has the right to keep some troops as peacekeepers in a buffer zone around South Ossetia.
The West has repeatedly urged Russia to withdraw its troops and France has said it will call a special EU summit if Russia does not comply.
Mr Medvedev, who was in North Ossetia to decorate Russian soldiers for valour during the recent fighting, has promised to "do whatever is necessary" to maintain security in the region.
"If anyone thinks he can kill our citizens without being punished, or kill our soldiers and officers, who are peacekeepers, we will never allow this," he said.
He added that Russian soldiers had demonstrated that they had recovered from the crisis of the 1990s and were now a fighting force again.
'Pulling back - not withdrawing'
"The pull-back of peacekeeping forces started today," the deputy chief of the Russian General Staff, Col-Gen Anatoly Nogovitsyn, said in Moscow.
Georgian TV has shown video of what it says is Russian armour pushing aside police cars in Igoeti, around 48km (30 miles) from Tbilisi, on 18 August
"We are talking about pulling back to the territory of South Ossetia. There should be no troops on the territory of Georgia."
Gen Nogovitsyn said that President Medvedev had agreed with President Sarkozy by telephone on Sunday on a "pull-back, not a withdrawal" of Russian troops.
Russian news agencies reported that several Russian military units, each mounted in five to 10 vehicles, left the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali on Monday for North Ossetia. The reports could not be confirmed independently.
A spokesman for the Russian defence ministry, Lt-Gen Nikolai Uvarov, told BBC News that troops were being withdrawn from Georgia and the process would take "days not weeks".
Confirming that Russia would retain its pre-conflict peacekeepers in South Ossetia, Gen Uvarov suggested that they would also be beefed up.
"We used to have there one light infantry battalion, less than 600 people, certainly it will be more soldiers but not just soldiers... [the] force must be credible to prevent any further escalation of conflict there," he said. There is disagreement between Moscow and Tbilisi over whether or not Russia has begun... more
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US intelligence reports reveal that Russia is actually stocking up its military presence in Georgia.
According to a report in the ‘New York Times’ however, Russian has strengthened its military power in the region, installing rocket launchers north of the South Ossetian capital Tschinvali which would be capable of reaching the Georgian capital, Tbilisi
A convoy of Russian military vehicles, including 25 tanks and 25 troop transporters, reportedly advanced 30km before Tbilisi.
One Russian soldier claimed that they were peace troops – nothing more.US intelligence reports reveal that Russia is actually stocking up its military... more
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Jaeger
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added this
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3 years ago
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Russian forces are advancing towards Tbilisi, according to the Georgian government, despite a fragile ceasefire being agreed by the two sides.
The reports on Sunday come hours after Russian troops were seen beginning to withdraw from Kaspi and Igoeti, towns close to the Georgian capital.
Fighters from the breakaway region of Abkhazia, who are backed by Moscow, have also taken control of 13 Georgian villages and a hydropower plant, according to the Tbilisi government.
Jonah Hull, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Tblisi, said: "This is indeed disturbing news.
"The word from Moscow is that the Russians have come under attack by the Georgians. But the Georgians are saying this is a pretext for Russia ... to move a column of armour toward Tblisi.
"This will destabilise the situation enormously, if it is true."
Georgia has also accused Russia of blowing up a key railway bridge in the Kaspi region and "paralysing the Georgian rail network", a claim backed by eyewitnesses.
But Colonel-General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, the deputy chief of Russia's General Staff, said: "We are now in peacetime. Why should we be blowing up bridges when our job is to restore?"
The events come after Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's president, signed a six-point ceasefire deal earlier on Saturday pledging to end the conflict with Georgia.Russian forces are advancing towards Tbilisi, according to the Georgian government,... more
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ivxx
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added this
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3 years ago
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The first planeload of US aid has been delivered to Georgia as Washington steps up its support for the shaky ceasefire with Russia.
A C-17 military aircraft brought supplies into the capital Tbilisi and a second flight is planned for later today.
George Bush has promised to support Georgia with humanitarian supplies and said he expects Russia to allow aid into the country, ensuring all lines of communication and transport remain open.
Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili said Mr Bush's pledge meant Georgian ports and airports would be taken under US military control but this claim was swiftly denied by the Pentagon.
The US president also criticized Moscow for apparently breaking the ceasefire.
"The United States of America stands with the democratically-elected government of Georgia," Mr Bush said.
"We insist that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia be respected."
US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is due to arrive in Tbilisi later after talks in Paris.
Russia has denied violating the ceasefire and rejected claims its troops had advanced on Tbilisi or looted the town of Gori.
Human Rights Watch, a US-based organization with staff in Georgia, said its on site researchers had witnessed looting of ethnic Georgian villages in South Ossetia, the separatist province at the heart of the current conflict.
Sky News' Andrew Wilson was held at gunpoint in Gori and said there were "vicious looters on the way into town".
The first planeload of US aid has been delivered to Georgia as Washington steps up its... more
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Opposition TV station "IMEDI" has been shut down by Georgian police in Tbilisi, Georgia. Farewell speech by IMEDI.Opposition TV station "IMEDI" has been shut down by Georgian police in... more
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bstein
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added this
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4 years ago
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