Scars Of War -- Russian Georgian War

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Russians Pull Back in Georgia But Scars of
War Remain -- Voice Of America

Life is returning to normal in parts or northern Georgia - two months after open warfare there between Georgian and Russian troops and Russian-backed separatists from the enclaves of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russian troops pulled out of their self-declared buffer zones in the area last week and Georgian families are moving back into their homes there. But as VOA's Sonja Pace reports from the village of Ergneti, the scars of war are still all too evident.

Until last week, few wanted to venture back into Ergneti, a small village in northeastern Georgia, caught in the midst of the war in early August and then part of a buffer zone under the control of Russian troops and their South Ossetian allies. But, the Russians have gone and Georgian families are coming back to their homes - Goderdzi Kasradze is one of them.

The men stand on the wide front porch, examining the damage: a mattress ripped and strewn on the floor, shattered glass, even a wooden window frame left dangling. Goderdzi Kasradze looks on in dismay.

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My Comment: It will take decades for this to be forgotten.

Russia Increasing Their Military Presence In The Caucasus

Russia Boosts S Ossetia Security -- BBC News

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered security to be tightened in South Ossetia, where eight Russian soldiers were killed in an explosion.

The soldiers died on Friday when a car blew up near a Russian military base in the regional capital, Tskhinvali.

A senior Russian officer was among those killed, Moscow said, blaming Georgian secret services for the blast.

Georgia has denied the charge, saying the blast was engineered by Russia to delay withdrawing troops from Georgia.

Tension remains high in the region following the conflict between Russia and Georgia over the summer.

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My Comment: this boost n security is not going to solve the problems that exist in the region. Russia is now positioning itself for a very long low intensity guerrilla war.

Russians 'Leaving Georgian Port'

Russians Withdraw From Western Georgia -- Yahoo News/AP

TBILISI, Georgia - Russian forces withdrew from several positions in western Georgia on Saturday, and a Georgian official said Russia met a deadline for a partial pullout a month after the war between the former Soviet republics.

Russian soldiers and armored vehicles rolled out of six checkpoints and temporary bases in the Black Sea port of Poti and other areas nearby, Georgian Security Council chief Alexander Lomaia said.

"They have fulfilled the commitment" to withdraw from the area by Monday under an agreement European Union leaders reached with Russia last week, Lomaia told The Associated Press. But he stressed that Georgia — like the West — demands a full withdrawal to pre-conflict positions.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko confirmed the withdrawal.

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My Comment: Better late than never.

The Groundwork For A Georgian Resistance Movement Is Now Starting

Edgy Georgians Now Thinking About Resisting Invasion
-- McClatchy Washington

GORI, Georgia — After more than a week of Russian troops occupying his town, Kishvardi Taturashvili said the time for resistance was drawing near.

The Russian armored fighting vehicles that are blocking routes in and out of Gori are slowing the flow of humanitarian aid and stifling trade, he said.

Travel is controlled by Russian soldiers; a McClatchy reporter was turned back at checkpoints, and had to slip in via a footbridge.

"If they stay, we won't get enough supplies and the war will start again," said Taturashvili, who works for the local power company. "People will take their guns and go to the forests."

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My Comment: The longer that Russia stays in Georgia ... the more that Georgian animosity and bitterness will grow. If the Russian Army remains .... which they probably will .... we will soon here of sniper attacks, IED attacks, ambushes, followed by reprisals. This could get very bad with time.

An Eyewitness Account Of The Russian Occupation Of Gori, Georgia

Map of Georgia showing the latest situation in the conflict with Russia. Russia has moved short-range SS-21 missile launchers into South Ossetia since fighting there halted, and has yet to give any sign of a significant pullback of its troops from Georgia, US officials said Monday. (AFP/Jhl / Gil)

Inside The City Overrun By Russian Army -- The Independent

The Russian occupation of large areas of Georgia continued yesterday in apparent defiance of international agreements and promises to withdraw.

Gori, the largest city in Georgia held by the Russians, was blocked off from the international media by Russian soldiers in armoured cars who said they had no idea when they would be pulling out. The Independent, which reached the city yesterday by using back roads, found a population angry towards both the Russians and the Georgian government.

Long queues have formed outside the sole distribution centre for food aid in the city, with residents complaining that they are not being given nearly enough.

Unlike the main road from the capital Tbilisi to Gori, which had numerous Georgian and Russian checkpoints, the back route was relatively clear, with The Independent being waved through by two soldiers after a cursory glance at our papers.

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My Comment: I wish we had more on the ground reporting like this. I understand the region is very dangerous for reporters, but news reporting like this gives all of us a better idea on what is exactly happening there.

Pictures Of The Georgian Russian War From A Russian Photojournalist -- WARNING Pictures Are Graphic

(WNU Editor): I have been holding onto these pictures since last week. I originally did not want to show them because of their graphic nature. But American and European columnists are already discussing their impact, and upon reflection I now realize that they do need to be seen.

These pictures were taken by Russian photojournalist Arkady Babchenko. They have been circulating among intelligence personnel because the pictures reveal far more to the West than Babchenko realized. They show Chenchens, South Ossetia militiamen (they are the men with the white armbands) and regular Russian infrantry. These pictures were taken during the course of the Russian campaign in South Ossetia and Georgia. Warning, these pictures are very graphic.

Ralph Peters from the New York Sun does an excellent commentary and explanation on why these pictures are significant.

For more pictures .... the link to Arkady Babchenko's pictures are here.

Moscow Will Withdraw Its Troops From Georgia Starting Monday

Kremlin Says Troops Will Begin Georgia Withdrawal
-- New York Times

MOSCOW — Russia is to begin withdrawing its troops from neighboring Georgia on Monday, two days after it signed a revised framework for a deal to halt the fighting there, which has stirred some of the deepest divisions between world powers since the cold war.

The Kremlin announced on Sunday that the Russian president, Dmitri A. Medvedev, had spoken with President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, who negotiated the cease-fire, and pledged that Russian forces would be pulled back on Monday.

The Kremlin said in a statement that the two leaders discussed how to “realize in practice” the cease-fire framework. The statement did not specify the scope or pace of the withdrawal. It said troops would start moving toward the separatist region of South Ossetia and what it described as a “security zone.”

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More News On Russia's Withdrawing From Georgia

Russia to start Georgia pullout on Monday -- Reuters
Russia to Begin Troop Pullout After Western Pressure-- Bloomberg
Russia 'strengthens occupation' despite claims of withdrawal -- Times Online
Sarkozy warns Russia: withdraw from South Ossetia or face the consequences -- The Guardian
Russia promises to pull out forces -- Sydney Morning Herald

My Comment: I expect Russian forces to take their time. I also expect that they will not completely withdraw from contested areas ... stating that these areas belong to either South Ossetia or Abkhazia.

Russian / Georgian Truce Still Holding -- But Tensions Are Still High

A Russian soldier sits near an armoured personnel vehicle in the Georgian town of Gori,
near South Ossetia, August 14, 2008. (Gleb Garanich/Reuters)

Russia: Georgia Can 'Forget' Regaining Provinces
-- Yahoo News/AP

TBILISI, Georgia - The foreign minister of Russia said Thursday that Georgia could "forget about" getting back its two breakaway provinces, and the former Soviet republic remained on edge as Russia sent tank columns to search out and destroy Georgian military equipment.

Uncertainty about Russia's intentions and back-and-forth charges clouded the conflict two days after Russia and Georgia signaled acceptance of a French-brokered cease-fire, and a week after Georgia's crackdown on the two provinces drew a Russian military response.

Diplomats focused on finalizing a fragile cease-fire between the two nations and clear the way for Russian withdrawal. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was heading Friday for Georgia to press the president to sign the deal.

Georgian officials accused Russia of sending a column of tanks and other armored vehicles toward Kutaisi, the second-largest city in Georgia, then said the convey stopped about 35 miles out.

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More News On The Georgian / Russian War

Saakashvili: Russia controls a third of Georgia -- Yahoo News/AP
Georgia's bitter defeat plays out on road to capital -- Yahoo News/McClatchy
Truce between Russia, Georgia flawed, some say -- Yahoo News/AP
Rice to ask Georgia to sign peace deal: Sarkozy -- Yahoo News/Reuters

My Comment: The Russian Army is taking its time leaving .... and when they leave it will be to the two break away provinces of Georgia.

Defiant Putin Accuses USA Of "Helping Georgia'..

Georgian soldiers arrive at an airbase in Tbilisi from Iraq, August 11, 2008. President Mikheil Saakashvili urged his Western allies to provide more than just moral support and aid to confront Russia in Georgia's conflict over the separatist region of South Ossetia. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze (GEORGIA)

From 'This Is London':

-Gordon Brown urges Moscow to order a ceasefire
-Putin lashes out at the U.S. for 'helping Georgia'
-Georgia 'restarts shelling' after ceasefire call ignore
-Refugee crisis as 40,000 flee

Georgian officials tonight claimed the country had been 'overrun' by Russian troops after a full-scale ground invasion.

Amid reports that Moscow forces had taken the town of Gori - and were marching on the capital Tsblisi - Georgian soldiers appeared to be in full retreat.

Troops were apparently in complete chaos as a full-scale rout pushed them back through the countryside.

Meanwhile, the civilian crisis intensified with thousands of refugees fleeing the seemingly unstoppable advance of the Russian army.

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Some Recent Key News Reports On The Georgian/Russian War

Russian jets, unchallenged, sow terror among Georgian troops -- Yahoo News/McClatchy
US military surprised by speed, timing of Russia military action -- Breitbart
Russia opens new front, drives deeper into Georgia -- Yahoo News/AP
Russia gives Georgia an ultimatum -- International Herald Tribune
Georgia: Gori evacuated as fears of Russian advance into Georgia grow -- The Telegraph
Russia cuts sea links with Georgia -- Hindustan Times