Fireworks over Georgia

[MosJan]

one might only guess what US military was training vratsis only 3 days prior to Georgian aggression

[MosJan]

Putin to take care of South Ossetian refugees

 

Putin to take care of South Ossetian refugees

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has changed his travel plans to see for himself the efforts being made to help the war refugees from South Ossetia. The former president has arrived in the capital of North Ossetia, Vladikavkaz, to hold talks with evacuees and local officials.

[MosJan]

August 9, 2008, 13:44

 

Russia denies bombing Georgian cities

 

The Russian Defence Ministry has denied that bombers targeted the Georgian capital, Tblisi, and the port city of Poti. The Georgian permanent representative to the UN told the Security Council early on Saturday morning that the cities were under Russian attack.

 

CNN echoed the Georgian claims, reporting that bombs had rocked Georgia’s capital, and government buildings including its parliament had to be evacuated.

 

However eyewitnesses as well as RT correspondents in Tbilisi could not substantiate the reports.

 

Georgia's Interior Ministry also alleged that Russian jets targeted the Vaziani military base on the outskirts of the capital, as well as bombed the Kareli and Gori districts located outside conflict.

 

Russia has denied bombing the cities but it has confirmed that two military aircraft were lost over South Ossetia.

 

Post this story to del.icio.us

[MosJan]

August 9, 2008, 21:04

Georgia resumes shelling the South Ossetian capital

The fighting in South Osstian capital, Tskhinvali, is continuing with Georgian troops once again entering the city. There are reports that Georgian Special Forces have been throwing grenades into basements where women and children are sheltering.

 

Georgian soldiers are also reportedly trying to take control of a road leading from Tskhinvali to the Russian republic of North Ossetia.

 

RT correspondent Mikhail Lebedev is just a mile outside the city. He says: "Tskhinvali is in flames. You can see smoke coming from all over the place. Civilian buildings and the building of the South Ossetian authorities are penetrated by gunfire and artillery fire".

 

South Ossetia claims more than 2,000 people have been killed in fighting so far. Georgia rejects this figure, saying it has lost only 30 soldiers.

 

More than 30,000 refugees have fled across the border to Russia's North Ossetial in the past 36 hours.

 

The Russian military says three peacekeepers died overnight, raising to 15 the number of Russian peacekeepers killed since hostilities began more than 24 hours ago.

 

Seventy Russian peacekeepers have been wounded in the fighting. Twenty were evacuated to a hospital in Vladikavkas in North Ossetia during the night in a convoy which is reported to have been shelled by Georgian forces. That’s according to Land Forces spokesman Col. Igor Konashenkov.

 

After a lull in artillery fire late on Friday night, Georgian shelling of Tskhinvali again resumed on Saturday morning.

 

The Deputy Head of the Russian General Staff, Colonel General Anatoly Nogovitsin, briefed media on Russia's operations in the area in a press conference on Saturday morning (WATCH THE VIDEO).

http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/28698

[MosJan]

Aerial attacks

 

South Ossetian forces are claiming to have shot down two Georgian fighter planes. The jets were reportedly downed near the capital Tskhinvali.

 

Two Russian aircraft have been downed in the conflict zone, confirmed a Russian peacekeeping forces spokesman on Saturday. Georgian media are reporting that one of the pilots has been captured, and another has been found dead.

 

Georgia claims Russian planes have bombed its Marneuli air base. Georgian state channel 'Rustavi' reported that four people were killed and five wounded in the attack. A video of the incident has been released by the channel. Several military aircraft have reportedly been destroyed.

 

The attack hasn't been confirmed by the Russian military.

 

Meanwhile, Russian television channels have been blocked across the country, according to the head of the international media centre in the capital Tbilisi.

 

No western cameras in South Ossetia

 

The conflict over Georgia’s breakaway republic is as much about information as it is about weapons. South Ossetia's press service says western media outlets haven't been operating in the region ”Since the conflict began”.

 

“Only the Russian media and one Ukrainian channel have been filming in the breakaway republic. No western camera crews have been working in the conflict zone,” Suslan Bekoev, South Ossetian committee for information and press, said.

[MosJan]

Diplomatic efforts Earlier on Saturday, President Medvedev said Russia would bring the violence to an end.

 

In a meeting with Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, Medvedev said Russian peacekeepers would attempt to "force the Georgian side to stop fighting."

 

Meanwhile, a second emergency meeting of the UN Security Council has ended without agreement. It was held on Saturday morning, but no firm resolution to end the conflict was reached. (WATCH THE VIDEO)

 

 

[MosJan]

Humanitarian concerns

 

South Ossetian authorities say Tbilisi's actions amount to genocide against the residents of the republic. Tskhinvali is reported to be in ruins, and five villages have been razed to the ground.

 

Tskhinvali and nearby villages are being evacuated. Both South Ossetians and Georgians are leaving the area. Those remaining are hiding in the underground shelters.

 

Russia and the international community have called on Georgia to pull its troops out of the region. Russian president Dmitry Medvedev says Moscow will take appropriate political and military measures to stop the violence in South Ossetia.

 

Tshinvali is reported to be short of medicine and water, while most of the city's communication networks have been destroyed. Russian peacekeepers are assisting remaining residents.

 

The Russian Emergency Ministry has sent a mobile hospital to North Ossetia where thousands of refugees have fled from South Ossetia. The Russian President has ordered the government to take urgent measures to provide humanitarian aid to those leaving the conflict zone. Efforts are under way to move the wounded and other vulnerable civilians.

[MosJan]

Troop Build-up

 

Georgia's other breakaway republic, Abkhazia, says Georgia is building up military forces on its border. Earlier, the republic's president, Sergey Bagapsh, said he was ready to help South Ossetia.

 

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili told CNN on Friday that Georgia would withdraw its peacekeepers from Iraq. He has called on all reservists to immediately report for duty.

 

There are about 2,000 Georgian troops among coalition forces in Iraq, the third-largest contributor after the United States and Britain.

 

The future of South Ossetia has been disputed since the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although it declared independence from Georgia in the early 90s, it has never been officially recognised (WATCH THE VIDEO).

 

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[MosJan]

Putin: Georgia’s actions are criminal, whereas Russia’s actions are absolutely legitimate

 

Russian news reports say that Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has arrived in a region that neighbors South Ossetia, where the armed conflict is taking place.

 

They say Putin is visiting the city of Vladikavkaz, the provincial capital of the region of North Ossetia that neighbors South Ossetia.

 

Also read: War between Russia and Georgia orchestrated from USA

 

Putin said at a work meeting in Vladikavkaz that he could not imagine how it could be possible to make South Ossetia become a part of Georgia afterwards.

 

“Georgia’s actions are criminal, whereas Russia’s actions are absolutely legitimate,” the Russian Prime Minister said.

 

Putin urged the Georgian administration to immediately end aggression in South Ossetia.

 

“The actions of the Georgian authorities in South Ossetia are obviously a crime. It is a crime against its own people, first and foremost,” Putin stated.

 

“A deadly blow has been struck on the territorial integrity of Georgia itself, which implies huge damage to its state structure,” Putin emphasized.

 

“The aggression has resulted in numerous victims including those among civilians and has virtually led to a humanitarian catastrophe,” he said.

 

The Russian PM stressed out that Russia would always treat the Georgian nation with great respect, as a brotherly nation, despite the current tragic events.

 

“Time will pass and the people of Georgia will give their objective estimations to the actions of the incumbent administration,” Putin said.

 

Putin believes that Georgia’s aspiration to become a member of NATO is not based on Georgia’s wish to become a part of the global international security system and contribute to the strengthening of international peace.

 

“It is based on an attempt of the Georgian administration to get other countries involved in its bloody affairs,” he said.

 

Russia ’s actions in South Ossetia are absolutely grounded and legitimate, Putin said.

 

“In accordance with international agreements, including the agreement of 1999, Russia does not only execute peacemaking functions, but is obliged, in case one party breaks the cease-fire agreement, to defend the other party, which is exactly what we are doing in case with South Ossetia,” Putin stated.

 

Russia has been playing a positive and stabilizing role in the Caucasus for ages, Putin said.

 

“We perfectly realize what world we live in today. We will strive for fair and peaceful solutions of all conflicting situations, which we inherited from the past,” the head of the Russian government said.

 

Join Pravda.ru forum to experience freedom of speech

 

part #1

[MosJan]

Russia 's president Dmitry Medvedev has told U.S. President George W. Bush that Georgia must withdraw its forces from South Ossetia in order to end hostilities there.

 

The Kremlin says that President Dmitry Medvedev told Bush in a telephone conversation Saturday that Georgia must also sign a legally binding agreement not to use force.

 

Medvedev voiced hope that the United States could help push Georgia in that direction, and said Russia had to act to protect its citizens and enforce peace.

 

Georgia launched a massive attack Friday to regain control over South Ossetia. Russia responded by sending in tanks and troops and bombing Georgian territory.

 

Bush has urged an immediate halt to the violence and a stand-down by all troops.

 

Military forces in the unrecognized republic of Abkhazia launched air and artillery strikes Saturday to drive Georgian troops from their bridgehead in the region, officials said.

 

Sergei Shamba, foreign minister in the government of Abkhazia, said Abkhazian forces intended to push Georgian forces out of the Kodori Gorge. The northern part of the gorge is the only area of Abkhazia that has remained under Georgian government control.

 

Shamba said the Abkhazian move was prompted by Georgia's military action to regain control over South Ossetia, which began Friday. He said Abkhazia had to act because it has a friendship treaty with South Ossetia.

Russia has close ties with both unrecognized republics and granted its passports to most of their residents.

 

Georgia 's Security Council secretary Alexander Lomaia said that Georgian administrative buildings in the Kodori Gorge were bombed, but he blamed the attack on Russia.

 

In 2006, Georgian forces moved into the upper part of the Kodori Gorge to root out members of a defiant militia. Georgia later established a local administration made up of people who fled the fighting in Abkhazia.

 

Abkhazian and Russian officials have said they believe Georgia intends to launch an offensive from there to retake Abkhazia and demanded the withdrawal of Georgian troops from the area.

 

Shamba said the Abkhazian forces had to act because diplomatic efforts to settle the dispute over Georgia's presence in the gorge had failed. "Georgian forces in the Kodori Gorge posed a real threat," Shamba said.

 

part #2

[Nané]

I am quite surprised by the lack of responses/debate about this. Yo people, this is extremely serious.

 

Well, I think most of us are still in shock (realizing how serious this is and how dangerously serious it can get). Talk about puting the Olympics on the back burner.

[AVO]

one might only guess what US military was training vratsis only 3 days prior to Georgian aggression

 

Американцы показали грузинам как зачищать деревни в Ираке

13:56 31.07.2008

 

На военной базе в Вазиани близ Тбилиси (Грузия) 31 июля завершились грузино-американские учения "Достойный ответ - 2008". В учениях принимало участие 1640 военнослужащих, из которых 1 000 американцев, 600 грузин, и по 10 офицеров армии Азербайджана, Украины и Армении.

 

На торжественном закрытии учений присутствовали представители Минобороны, другие высокопоставленные представители правительства Грузии, а также представители посольства США. В ходе учений в основном были отработаны методы и координация борьбы с террористами. На показательных учениях журналистам продемонстрировали зачистку деревень (условно в Ираке), от террористов и обеспечение безопасности мирного населения. Как заявил журналистам заместитель министра обороны Грузии, в ходе учений отрабатывались именно те навыки, которые необходимы Грузии. "Наши войска получили большой опыт, которые прямо отвечают тем задачам, опасностям, перед которыми стоит наше государство и именно поэтому учения можно расценить как успешные, тем более, что это первый подобный опыт",- отметил он. Высокие оценки дали Командующий объединенным штабом ВС Грузии, генерал Заза Гогава и американский генерал Вильям Гаррет. "Думаю, что учения были успешными, так как и грузинские и американские подразделения в короткое время показали многое, на что они способны и доказали возможность координированных действий", - заявил он.

 

regnum.ru/news/fd-abroad/georgia/1034733.html

[Harut]

how is this effecting the transportation roads from armenia to russia?

[MosJan]

how is this effecting the transportation roads from armenia to russia?

 

 

vat - vratsiq - asum en te POTHI' navahangist @ rusnner@ xel en - dra hamar el pakel en irenq - so norits apranqner@ depi yerevan yev yerevanist poti kangnetsin - arhestakan blokada

[hyethga]

vat - vratsiq - asum en te POTHI' navahangist @ rusnner@ xel en - dra hamar el pakel en irenq - so norits apranqner@ depi yerevan yev yerevanist poti kangnetsin - arhestakan blokada

 

Aysinkn, Hayastane yentarkvel 3-rd tipi blokadia?

 

Uremn yete Amerikyan sksi mi nor paterazm Irani het Hayastane kkortsanvum e.

[MosJan]

et tesak mi ban

[Nané]

Taunting the Bear

[MosJan]

Russia: Again Savior of Peace and Life

 

The international community collectively held their breath waiting for the reaction of Russia after the savage, brutal, criminal attack by Georgia on South Ossetia. After having offered a cease fire in hostilities, the back stabbing Georgians immediately violated the cease fire, invading South Ossetia and causing massive destruction and death among innocent civilians, among peacekeepers and also destroying a hospital.

 

At approximately 11:30 p.m. Moscow time Georgians opened fire with heavy artillery from the side of the Georgian villages of Ergneti and Nikozi against the city of Tskhinval, the Defense Ministry of South Ossetia announced on Thursday. Georgian troops attempted to storm the city much as Hitler‘s Panzer divisions blazed through Europe. Also noteworthy is the fact that Georgian tanks and infantry were being aided by Israeli advisors, a true indicator that this conflict was instigated by outside forces.

 

Meanwhile, the western corporate media was maintaining a blackout of “the grand silence” on the aggression of Georgia. When they did finally report on it, they were as usual telling the story backwards with headlines such as “Russian Jets Attack Georgia” and “They Have Declared War Against Us” as though Georgia had not done anything wrong.

 

A large part of the capital of South Ossetia, Tskhinvali, has been destroyed along with five villages. South Ossetia reports that more than 1,600 people have been killed in the past 24 hours. There are also many casualties among peacekeepers and hospitals are said to be overflowing with victims.

 

Relating what has become common practice among war criminals, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reported: "A Russian humanitarian convoy has come under fire. Panic is growing among the local population, and the number of refugees is increasing. There are reports of ethnic cleansing in some villages... The situation is ripe for a humanitarian catastrophe."

 

Zarskaya road, which encircles the South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali, was cleared of Georgian troops as Russian tanks entered the area. So at long last, the soldiers of civilization and peace, the Russian Army, has moved in to push back the invaders. An elite Spetznaz unit has arrived in the South Ossetian capital. They will support Russian peacekeepers who are reported to be coming under artillery fire from Georgian troops. During a meeting with the Minister of Defense, Anatoly Serdyukov, Dmitry Medvedev said Russian peacekeepers will attempt to "force the Georgian side to stop fighting."

 

part 1

[MosJan]

part 2

 

NATO, the US and the EU all called for an immediate end to hostilities. The EU will be convening an emergency session to work on plans for a cease fire. Georgia's president told CNN: "Russia is fighting a war with us in our own territory." In a display of cowboy bravado, Georgia also announced that their contingent in Iraq would be withdrawn, ostensibly to be available for further incursions and murderous rampages such as the one of Friday morning. Saakashvili, looking like a pompous clown, called on reservists to sign up for duty, saying: "This is a clear intrusion on another country's territory. We have Russian tanks on our territory, jets on our territory in broad daylight.” This of course is leaving out the part where he first sent his jets to strafe and bomb civilian areas and the Russian response comes as an attempt to prevent further attacks.

 

ussia and the international community have called on Georgia to pull its troops out of the region. Russian president Dmitry Medvedev says Moscow will take appropriate political and military measures to stop the violence in South Ossetia and he resolutely assures that those responsible will pay for their crimes.

 

Tshinvali is reported to be short of medicine and water, while most of the city's communication networks have been destroyed. Russian peacekeepers are assisting remaining residents. President Medvedev has ordered humanitarian assistance for the beleaguered region. A mobile hospital will leave Moscow for North Ossetia, a Russian republic bordering South Ossetia, at 22:00 (18:00 GMT). An Il-76 aircraft will deliver medical equipment as well as doctors, psychologists and rescuers totaling 60 personnel.

 

President Medvedev said, “The Russian military presence in South Ossetia complies with international law and is aimed at enforcing peace. As it has been throughout history, Russia continues to guarantee peace and security in the Caucasus. The action by Georgia contravenes Russia’s mandate for peacekeeping and amounts to blatant aggression. Russian peacekeeping forces and unarmed women, children and elderly have been the victims.”

 

Russia will continue to take adequate military and political measures for the immediate cessation of violence and to protect civilians including women, children and the elderly, most of whom are citizens of the Russian Federation as it implements a peacekeeping mission in accordance with existing international agreements.

[MosJan]

part 3

 

The Georgian Parliament has approved a presidential decree declaring a state of war for 15 days. Meanwhile, on his way back from the Olympics, Vladimir Putin stopped by the North Ossetian capital on his way back from the Olympics to survey the situation and speak about the refugee situation. “ Georgia’s actions are criminal, whereas Russia’s actions are absolutely legitimate,” the Russian Prime Minister said.

 

Georgia’s desperate gamble has exploded in their faces. The conflict ``absolutely dooms Georgia's chances for North Atlantic Treaty Organization membership,” said Robert Hunter, US ambassador to the Brussels-based alliance under President Bill Clinton and now a senior adviser at the policy- research group RAND Corp. in Washington. ``You don't bring in a country that has this sort of trouble.''

 

The only possible and reasonable way out of this situation is the complete withdrawal of Georgian troops to their initial positions and the immediate signing of a legally binding agreement on the non-use of force. Only after this measure has been taken will it be possible to talk about further measures to de-escalate tensions. And so protecting LIFE is the honorable duty of the Russian military. Much as it was during the Great Patriotic War, when the Red Army hoisted the hammer and sickle flag on the Reichstag building, signifying the defeat of fascism.

 

Lisa KARPOVA

 

PRAVDA.Ru

 

 

[MosJan]

Russia: Again Savior of Peace and Life

 

hmmmm i remember how russia was "saving" Armenians in Artsax, "Helping" to resolve problems

how Russians helped us and has recognized Artsax as state, and now the big brother it's helping osetia and abxazia

 

ohh sorry that was a deem that has never happened

[hyethga]

Russia: Again Savior of Peace and Life

 

hmmmm i remember how russia was "saving" Armenians in Artsax, "Helping" to resolve problems

how Russians helped us and has recognized Artsax as state, and now the big brother it's helping osetia and abxazia

 

ohh sorry that was a deem that has never happened

 

Still, we shouldn't discount them from the equation completely; if Russia didn't send any weapons to Armenia in the early 1990s, Artsakh would be filled with only Azeri speaking Azeris.

[MosJan]

rusia has only "helped" Armenian after he found that azeris are no longer interested in Russian brothered

 

Russia didn't send weapons to Armenia ughaki mez cher xangarum vro menq zenq nermutsenq Hayastan yev Artsax, yerevi te ches hishum te um hovanavorutyamb Artsaxum azeri omon@ datarkum yve gyugherits durs er hanum hayerin, kam tekuz zinamtherqov er apahovum n@rants, kam tekuz yerevanum incher aretsin - yerevi te da asatsit pes charyats poqraguynn er , yev inchXosq ir hovvhanu nerqo er amen inch

 

hima esor sa e - yev es norasteghts paterazm@ - vay lezus papandzvi paterazm ch@lini - shat arag karrogh e taratsvel

[Arpa]

Although this piece of news belongs here

http://hyeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=17...mp;#entry247740

Anyway! Read and laugh. Or cry.

BAKU:

RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT BOMBING TBILISI TOOK OFF FROM ARMENIA

Azeri Press Agency

Aug 8 2008

Azerbaijan

Moscow - APA. Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed that additional

forces had been sent to support peacekeepers in Georgia-Ossetia

conflict zone, APA reports quoting RIA Novosti.

The ministry said necessary assistance would be offered to the

Russian peacekeepers and citizens of unrecognized republic. North

Caucasus military district said that Russian combat equipment

entered Tskhinvali. Georgian new agencies report that Russian military

aircrafts bombed Vaziani base near Tbilisi at 15.10 by local time. Two

bombs were reportedly dropped on the military base. No casualties

are reported in the base. Gruziya Online website reports that the

aircraft that bombed Vaziani base had taken off from the territory of

Armenia. The agency mentions that there is an air regiment in Russian

army's 102nd base in Gumru, Armenia. According to the agreement signed

between Georgia and Armenia, Armenia can not allow any other state

to attack Georgia from its territory.

Edited August 9, 2008 by Arpa

[Arpa]

hima esor sa e - yev es norasteghts paterazm@ - vay lezus papandzvi paterazm ch@lini - shat arag karrogh e taratsvel

Movses, inchu aydpes kases?

Ayd shrjan@ mets paterazmi kariq ouni. Togh Rous@, tourq@, parsik, Vratsi, Arab, hrya yev ayl shner irar voskor krtsen. Goutse mez al mi poqr bazhin mna.

Hishir or meng mer hogher@ kortsrinq ibr “paterazmi hetvanq“?…yev hishir…

“Miyayn zenqov ka hayots prkutyun”. Menq qanits asel enq. Ayn or zenqov e korel miyayn zenqov piti yet shahvi. tourq@ kam azerin mer hogher@ mez voske apseyov chpiti hramtsneh.

Edited August 9, 2008 by Arpa