Georgia Government: Key Georgian City Of Gori Has Fallen -- Reuters Reporter In Gori And Russian Defence Ministry Dispute This Claim

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili wearing a camouflage bullet-proof vest visits the town of Gori to examine damage resulting from the ongoing armed conflicts involving Russia, Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Advancing Russian forces on Monday took a key Georgian city and the country's armed forces retrenched to defend the capital, a top Georgian official said. (AFP)

Georgia Says Key City Taken By Russian Forces -- Yahoo News/AP

TBILISI, Georgia - The head of Georgia's national security council says Russian forces have taken the strategically key city of Gori.

Gori is on Georgia's main east-west highway, about 60 miles west of the capital Tbilisi. By taking the city, Russia has the potential to effectively cut the country in half.

Security Council head Alexander Lomaia said Monday that it was not immediately clear if Russian forces would try to advance on Tbilisi.

The seizure of Gori came as Russian forces also drove deep into Georgian territory in the country's western sector.

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More News on The Fall Of Gori

Russian troops invade Georgia and take the city of Gori -- Times Online
Georgia says key city taken by Russian forces -- AP
Russia takes Georgian city as conflict worsens -- AFP
Georgia official says Russia captured Georgia town -- Reuters
Russia denies troops have taken Georgian town -- Reuters

My Comment: The town of Gori is Joseph Stalin's birthplace. Its capture will split the country of Georgia into two parts. It will also symbolize the end of Georgia as a unified nation.

However ... a reporter from Gori disputes this claim. He states that there is no one in the town of Gori ... which is probably true. I am skeptical that Russian forces would have broken through Georgian lines so quickly. They do not have the manpower nor resources to break into Georgia now .... but reading from Russian websites I am getting the impression that they probably will try in the next few days.

It appears that the Georgian Government is losing its ability to communicate with its towns and cities, this is not good. This reveals to me that Georgian command and control centers are not functioning properly.

In addition Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili was in Gori this morning .... he was chased out when a Russian bombing raid started. Someone is probably jumping the gun on what is happening there, and reporting this disinformation to the press .... which is now being reported as fact on all the major news networks.

Gori has not fallen ..... yet.