Russia/Georgia Situation News & Updates

Why withdraw and then return? If their intention really is to capture the capital, they would just stick around Gori and brings troops/armor to the road heading to Tblisi. Either way, the Russians are going to get the same old criticism, no matter what twists they pull...

Russia 'breaks ceasefire deal'

Russia apparently went back on its word to quit the key Georgian city of Gori.

Initially Russian forces were reported to be leaving the city that they had taken the day before despite a ceasefire.

Georgian officials had entered it and believed it empty. But after they began to leave they were confronted by Russian tanks and soldiers.

source

It would appear that the U.S. government is having just as much trouble following this story and its developments as we all are:

WASHINGTON - The White House grasp of developments in war-battered Georgia has been hampered by confusing reports from the ground and intelligence resources that initially were focused more on Iraq and Afghanistan than the former Soviet republic.

One-sided and possibly exaggerated accounts of actions from both sides and the Bush administration's difficulty in independently verifying information about the war have left the White House standing on an ever-changing platform from which to speak out on the crisis.

At least three times on Wednesday, President Bush referred to being concerned about "reports" that Russia had violated its pledge to a provisional cease-fire.

www.msnbc.msn.com...
"Reports." "Sources." That's the problem. There's been so little independent verification throughout this entire unfolding story. Even when things do seem almost confirmed, there are other reports which are totally contradictory.

reply to post by -Rugged Shark-


No ? .. read here :

www.wsws.org...

I could not find the civil.ge web page. So no doubt it is refuted because of the source, i will look for it, use that for now...

Originally posted by -Rugged Shark-
I don't think of Georgia as being a puppet of the US. I see Georgia as a former Sovjet Republic that became independent, just like the Baltic States, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Serbia etc etc.

My friend, Bulgaria is the same US puppet like Georgia and the Ukraine.
80% of our population didn't want US bases, 76% of our population didn't recognize Kosovo as an independent country, 64% of us didn't want to join the NATO.

We, the citizens are puppets of our own leaders - agree or disagree, no one cares. And our leader's are the puppets of the US or other so called "World Powers".

There are no independent country's.

[edit on 14/8/08 by absente]

reply to post by absente


So rather than seeing them as US puppets, you would like to see them as Russian puppets?

I'd rather see them as independent states with a democraticly chosen government.

Explosions heard, smoke seen around Georgia's Gori - AFP

The reporter said it appeared to be shelling. Moments earlier, a Russian soldier had demanded journalists leave and fired shots in the air.

source

Originally posted by AceWombat04
It would appear that the U.S. government is having just as much trouble following this story and its developments as we all are:

WASHINGTON - The White House grasp of developments in war-battered Georgia has been hampered by confusing reports from the ground and intelligence resources that initially were focused more on Iraq and Afghanistan than the former Soviet republic.

One-sided and possibly exaggerated accounts of actions from both sides and the Bush administration's difficulty in independently verifying information about the war have left the White House standing on an ever-changing platform from which to speak out on the crisis.

At least three times on Wednesday, President Bush referred to being concerned about "reports" that Russia had violated its pledge to a provisional cease-fire.

haha , they sound like us , i bet they have the CIA monitoring this thread for the latest info .)

Originally posted by Mammoth
Why withdraw and then return? If their intention really is to capture the capital, they would just stick around Gori and brings troops/armor to the road heading to Tblisi. Either way, the Russians are going to get the same old criticism, no matter what twists they pull...

I support the same conclusion. Time will tell. Massing troops take a while. Russia is just buying time to get enough troops into Gori to attack Tbilisi.

Haaretz reporter among 4 robbed at gunpoint by Russian troops in Georgia

Four Israeli journalists, including Haaretz correspondent Anshel Pfeffer, were robbed at gunpoint by Russian soldiers in the Georgian city of Gori on Thursday.

None of the Israelis was injured in the incident, which occurred as a number of foreign journalists gathered near a Russian checkpoint stationed at the entrance to the city. The Russian troops opened fire on the journalists without warning, trying to disperse the crowd.

source

Deja-vu anyone? Looks like a repeat of yesterday's events.

Originally posted by -Rugged Shark-
Explosions heard, smoke seen around Georgia's Gori - AFP

The reporter said it appeared to be shelling. Moments earlier, a Russian soldier had demanded journalists leave and fired shots in the air.

source

Who are they shelling, there is no Georgian forces in Gori????

Originally posted by -Rugged Shark-
Haaretz reporter among 4 robbed at gunpoint by Russian troops in Georgia

Four Israeli journalists, including Haaretz correspondent Anshel Pfeffer, were robbed at gunpoint by Russian soldiers in the Georgian city of Gori on Thursday.

None of the Israelis was injured in the incident, which occurred as a number of foreign journalists gathered near a Russian checkpoint stationed at the entrance to the city. The Russian troops opened fire on the journalists without warning, trying to disperse the crowd.

source

Deja-vu anyone? Looks like a repeat of yesterday's events.

Have you all noticed that yesterday the Russian troops were relaxed and cool headed, today they seem agitated and anxious...

reply to post by asen_y2k


According to AP the Georgian troops backed off.

Georgia earlier said the Russians were leaving Gori, but later alleged the Russians were bringing additional troops into the city.

Georgian officials who had gone into the city for the possible handover left unexpectedly around midday, followed by the checkpoint confrontation that ended when Russian tanks hurried to the scene and the Georgians backed off.

source

Might be Chechens . US stirs up the hornets nest .. hornets come out stinging .

Russia begins Georgia handover

Russian troops and Georgian police have started a joint patrol of the town of Gori as Russia begins handing over control.

source

I wonder what the BBC saw The video doesn't play for me, but I'm curious as to what it is.

Russians invite Georgian police into abandoned town

GORI, Georgia, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Russian soldiers invited Georgian police on Thursday to tour the key town of Gori, abandoned by Georgia's army three days earlier as it retreated in the face of Moscow's advancing forces.

Driving a black Mercedes car with a Georgian number plate, Russian commanders guided a Georgian police convoy into the centre of the town, which they promised to hand over within days.

www.alertnet.org...

Georgians leave following apparent clash and mortar explosions near Gori

GORI, Georgia (AP) — At least five explosions have been heard near Gori as a Russian withdrawal from the key Georgian city appears to have broken down.

It could not immediately determined if the blasts were renewed fighting between Georgian and Russian forces. They sounded similar to mortar shells and occurred not long after a tense confrontation between Russian and Georgian troops on the edge of the city on Thursday.

Georgia earlier said the Russians were leaving Gori, but later alleged the Russians were bringing additional troops into the city.

Georgian officials who had gone into the city for the possible handover left unexpectedly around midday, followed by the checkpoint confrontation that ended when Russian tanks hurried to the scene and the Georgians backed off.

ap.google.com...

What on Earth is going on? I'm so confused. Is this a case of separatists/militia getting out of the hands of the Russians?

[edit on 8/14/2008 by AceWombat04]

This is the war of confusion. US plays the war of no info.. Russia plays the game of chaos.

Georgia and Saakashvili are absolutely just as bad, but I'm not buying any of it, to be honest. Yesterday they said "nope, we're not in Gori" - this while they were entering Gori. Mm.

It wouldn't surprise me if it's all an attempt to temporarily placate the US. Today? "Yes, we're getting out of Gori."

They're now putting more troops in.



[edit on 14-8-2008 by chips]

Have a look at the map on this site(scrool down a bit and move your mouse over the time)
Nice flash what is going on
www.postimees.ee...

I've been switching back from CNN and Fox news this morning, Fox says Russia is leaving while CNN claims they're invading. Also it might be cause Fox & Friends had a American family who's 2 daughters are trapped in a town in Georgia that was visiting grandparents, maybe that why they've not reported what CNN cause this family as you could imagine was highly emotional.