Russia/Georgia Situation News & Updates

reply to post by freemindmine


Its the Russian Airborne Troops.

reply to post by Digital_Reality


This is totally weird. I confirm your find!

Originally posted by dracodie
reply to post by freemindmine

 

Its the Russian Airborne Troops.

That would be Crazy,Any links to that story?

reply to post by Nerevar


Actually Russia dropped bombs 30 (or 13 I didn't hear properly) kilometres for the Ossetian boreder. Thats right on the other side of Georgia, so a bit more than a border skirmish.

You have to understand that this site is full of 14 year olds who get their history from movies and video games and there are also tons of just alarmists on this site who are begging for WW3. Just sift through the garbage and there is some actual news here.

Originally posted by Res Ipsa
Since I don't have cable I have been trying to get my updates from these threads. But I just hate wading through some of these posts with opinions that seem were formed from all the life experience gained from Call of Duty or Brothers in Arms or any other PlayStation game out there.

World War 3? From this? Nukes? Please people. Can we just get updates or at least insight from any one in the know?

When does school start again!?

Breaking News! Marshall law be declare there and War gotten worse

Background Information

Some seem to be confused as to what exactly is going on in this conflict. Its quite simple though.

Georgia is backed by NATO, and in December of 2008 will be going in to a Membership Action Plan to join NATO. Georgia is a former Soviet Republic, just like Estonia and Latvia whom are also NATO members and bordering nations of Russia.

Russia, obviously, does not take too kindly to NATO being on its doorstep. The rhetoric with Georgia has been escalating for some time, and the situation in South Ossetia has become progressively worse.

South Ossetia is a breakaway region of Georgia. Although still technically a part of Georgia, they have acted as their own region since shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union and the establishment of Georgia as a sovereign nation.

Another breakaway region of Georgia is Abkhazia. Both Abkhazia and South Ossetia share warm relations with Russia, economically and politically.

Obviously you can see the problem here. Georgia is engaged with its breakaway regions, who share good relations with Russia, who has issues with Georgia warming up to NATO, who is consistently at odds with Russia.

You're just asking for conflict in this mess.

The Conflict

Russian forces in the area appear to be the 58th Army and the 4th Air Army.

The Georgian Army is armed with 165 T-72 and T-55 tanks, 78 BMP-1 and BMP-2 IFVs, 11 BRM-1 armed recon. vehicles and 91 APCs. Artillery units are around 200, mortars 180 and rocket launcher systems 40. The Georgian Air Force is armed with 10 Su-25KMs, 2 Su-25UBs, 6 L-39s and 9 L-29s. They also have 28 "Mi" helicopters, as well as 6 Bell-212s and 6 UH-1Hs.

South Ossetia is armed with 87 T-72 and T-55 tanks, 95 shells and mortars, including 72 howitzers, 23 multiple rocket launchers BM-21 Grad, as well as 180 armored vehicles, including 80 APCs.

The Timeline

Here is a partial timeline of the events on August 8th, 2008:

05:28 GMT – North Ossetia prepares for the arrival of more than 2,000 refugees

05:01 GMT – South Ossetia asks Russia for protection and to help it stop the bloodshed

04:13 GMT – Georgian troops resume attack on the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali.

Death Tolls

Nothing is clear at this point when it comes to death tolls.

From NPR:

A large number of civilians were reported dead as a result of the military action by Georgia and Russia in the worst outbreak of violence since South Ossetia won de facto independence from Georgia in 1992. Figures of the number killed vary widely from hundreds to more than a thousand.

On Wikipedia, the death tolls for the conflict are listed as:

South Ossetia - Military: Unknown
Russia - Military: 12 dead, 50 wounded
Abkhazia - Military: Unknown
Georgia - Military: 30 dead

Eduard Kokoity, leader of South Ossetia, is claiming more than 1,400 civilian deaths.

A Second Front?

It appears Abkhazia is preparing to open a second front in this conflict:

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Will a second front now be opened in Abkhazia?

Shamba: That depends on how the situation in South Ossetia develops. We understand very well that we Abkhazians are next in line after South Ossetia. If the situation doesn't stabilize again, then we will have to open a second front.

**Sergei Shamba is the Abkhazian Foreign Minister**

Media Spin

I'm cautious to believe anything any media agency is saying at this point. Most media outlets are owned by some entity with an agenda. That agenda no doubt points to interests in one side of this conflict or another.

I also do not buy in to these accusations that the US is behind this. There is absolutely no proof of that, so don't make those claims. I'm as against the US Government as the next guy, but there's no need for false accusations.

Many factors have contributed to this turn of events in this conflict. To sit on the sidelines and say "Go Russia!" or "Go Georgia!" is, at best, blind ignorance. No one is innocent in this conflict except these civilians caught in the middle. Both sides have antagonized the other, both have pushed this conflict along, both are guilty of murder.

To cheer for one or the other in such a bloody conflict in such a short period of time is insulting to the civilians who have died and is making a mockery of a conflict that appears to be one step away from being a full blown war.

Resources
War in South Ossetia 2008
Enlargement of NATO
Russia - 58th Army
Russia - 4th Air Army
Georgia and South Ossetia Military Information
Full Timeline of Events
NPR: Georgia-Russia Conflict Escalates Over Separatists
Interfax: Hundreds of civilians have been killed in Tskhinvali - Kokoity
Abkhazia Threatens Georgia with Second Front

EDIT: To fix bad link

[edit on 8/8/08 by NovusOrdoMundi]

The Representative for the Russian federation is not agreeing to a cease fire even after the Representative of Georgia is agreeing to cease fire. I'm watching the security council meeting on Russian TV now. Its not looking good. They just adjourned without a agreement on a cease fire.

The us ambassador was like hey Russia, Georgia will cease fire will you ?
Russia was like we need to have more than slogans and we need wrongs to be righted. Then they just kinda gave up on the meeting.

[edit on 8-8-2008 by Digital_Reality]

So Russia are bombing civilian targets, Georgia is declaring Martial Law, UN have/are meeting in New York to discuss what action to take against this "conflict". Seems this weekend may be quite an unforgiving one for that region.

Originally posted by RenegadePsycho
So Russia are bombing civilian targets, Georgia is declaring Martial Law, UN have/are meeting in New York to discuss what action to take against this "conflict". Seems this weekend may be quite an unforgiving one for that region.

Yes war Only increased and hasn't not die down.
Shelling started again and air raids they say on Russia Today

The 76th VDV are one of Russia's Elite Airborne Divisions based in Pskov northern Russia.

Unlike a lot of Russian regiments the airborne are professional soldiers and don't use conscripts and should realistically be considered elite shock troops. More info on them here.

Currently I'm willing to consider it a rumor since i can't find a solid source for the info and quite frankly my russian is garbage.

The Representative of Georgia was asking The Representative of Russia to call off the bombers that are in route and he got no answer.

Originally posted by Digital_Reality
The Representative of Georgia was asking The Representative of Russia to call off the bombers that are in route and he got no answer.

That is usually followed by these words coming from someone's mouth:
"We are so screwed"

I am thankful you guys are feeding us this, I still can't find any updates.

Originally posted by Rentor

Originally posted by RenegadePsycho
So Russia are bombing civilian targets, Georgia is declaring Martial Law, UN have/are meeting in New York to discuss what action to take against this "conflict". Seems this weekend may be quite an unforgiving one for that region.

Yes war Only increased and hasn't not die down.
Shelling started again and air raids they say on Russia Today

Thats only the Georgian side of story , just like shooting the 2 Russian planes thats Georgian story as well, and bombing Georgian bases thats again Georgian lies . Now come on , if they had shot down this 2 planes as they claim that were bombing georgian territory dont you think they would be showing the pieces of the planes To prove what they say and to show the world that Russia attacked them and to show off ? I believe not , they lied about many things before

Originally posted by Digital_Reality
The Representative of Georgia was asking The Representative of Russia to call off the bombers that are in route and he got no answer.

I think I speak for most people and most people of Georgia when I say GULP.
Georgia didn't seem to really plan this out, and now the civilians are paying for it. My heart and prayers go out to the decent people of the affected areas.

In light of having 500 points just removed from "off topic posts"

Im still going to post.

Does anyone think it is possible that this could have been just major propaganda since almost everyone around the world is watching tv for the olympics? I think its a fair assumption that both sides are just using this for attension.

Also does anyone have the latest death toll?

And When is the United Nations meeting going to happen?

[edit on 8-8-2008 by hardcoremusiclover]

why have they removed Georgia + surrounding areas from google maps? o-O same goes for the mobile version...

I don't get it, what is the point?

Originally posted by hardcoremusiclover
In light of having 500 points just removed from "off topic posts"

Im still going to post.

Does anyone think it is possible that this could have been just major propaganda since almost everyone around the world is watching the olympics? I think its a fair assumption that both sides are just using this for attension.

Also does anyone have the latest death toll?

And When is the United Nations meeting going to happen?

Already happen and nothing came from it besides hearing how Russians have bomber in route