Русская версияCombat elements of Russia's 58th Army were evacuating the vicinity
of the north Georgian town Gori and would return to Georgia's
breakaway region of South Ossetia over the next two days, a Russian
army spokesman told the Interfax news agency on Thursday, Aug.
21.
The first 100-vehicle column had reached the South Ossetian capital
Tskhinvali by 9 a.m. Thursday morning, the official said.
Georgian media showed images of Russian tanks and personnel
carriers moving north from Gori, but Russian road checkpoints
remained in place, eyewitnesses said.
In western Georgia, Russian ground forces had reportedly evacuated
the territory of the port of Poti by Wednesday evening, which,
according to the Kremlin, was a preparatory step toward reboarding
Russian warships stationed off shore.
The port's ferry wharf was functioning normally but freight traffic
was minimal as Russian forces had blocked railroad lines leading
east from Poti, port officials said.
Eyewitness account
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Roadblocks have remained in place throughout several regions in
Georgia proper
A column of Russian tanks, armored personnel carriers and artillery
moved across the border from Georgia into Russia on Thursday, a
Reuters reporter said.
"I can see 21 T-72 tanks moving towards the Roki tunnel in the
direction of Russia," said the reporter at the tunnel, which is a
few kilometers from the Georgia-Russia border and is the main
access route for Russian forces.
"I can also see four Grad artillery launchers, several armored
personnel carriers, and heavy trucks ready to move into the
tunnel," the reporter added.
Russia: OSCE withheld information
Deputy Chief of the Russian military's General Staff, Anatoly
Nogovitsyn, said Thursday that Russia's military had no plans to
leave South Ossetia or the buffer zone around it.
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Russian Col. Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn says Russian forces will
remain in South Ossetia
He also accused the Organization of Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) of covering up Georgia's military preparation ahead
of last week's offensive to re-take its breakaway region of South
Ossetia.
"There are doubts over the OSCE's role during the initial stage of
the conflict. They were notified by the Georgian side that there
would be an invasion, but did not warn Russian peacekeepers,"
Nogovitsyn said. "This fact makes us reconsider our relations ...
It is an obligation of the OSCE (to report on troop movements) and
they must answer for it."
Russian checkpoints still restricting movement
Russian troops were digging in on the main road approach to the
port of Poti, Georgia's Rustaveli-2 television channel reported.
Russian tanks and infantry were reportedly still holding the inland
towns of Zugdidi and Senaki. As in the Gori sector, Russian
soldiers were operating road checkpoints and blocking all Georgian
government traffic, and permitting civilian vehicles through only
after inspection.
France's ambassador to Tbilisi was "blocked for several hours" at a
Russian checkpoint not far from Gori, the French foreign
ministry said, the AFP news agency reported.
"He is now in the embassy" in Tbilisi, said a ministry spokesman in
Paris.
Russian army officials have said the road checkpoint system is
necessary for security in Russia-controlled areas of Georgia.
Georgia's government has accused Russia of reneging on an Aug. 11
cease-fire agreement stipulating, among other conditions, a removal
of all Russian forces from Georgian territory.
NATO criticism forces Russian revaluation
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NATO foreign minister toughened their stand against Russia at a
meeting this week
Following remarks by several NATO foreign ministers -- regarding
Russia's push and continued occupation of Georgian territory after
fighting -- Moscow announced it was "reconsidering" its cooperation
with NATO, a high-ranking Russian diplomat told Interfax on
Thursday.
Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko was quoted by the agency
as saying any review of relations would "of course affect the
military cooperation program."
The Interfax report follows Wednesday's developments, when the
Norwegian Defense Ministry said Russia had informed it of plans to
"freeze all military cooperation" with the alliance.
(Deutsche Welle)
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