Russians Pull out of Georiga

Russian convoy leaving Gori

Well they mostly pulled out.

On Friday the Russian forces started to withdraw from Georgia to the two disputed areas within Georgia. It seems Russia is well on it’s way to recognizing the breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as sovereign states.

Russian convoys were spotted leaving the main city of Gori, the birthplace of Stalin.

The people who came back to Gori came back only to see rubble and destruction where their homes once stood. The Georgian government is preparing for an influx of refugees into the region following the withdrawal of the Russian military.

Russian troops criticized for not exactly living up to United States military standards with sloppy air strikes, antiquated tanks, and at times even drunken soldiers showed that despite all of that they completed their objective quickly. We were reminded what pure aggressive invasion can look like. It was a throwback to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, some of the tanks were even the same.

Russian Prez Medvedev orders end to fighting

President Medvedev addressing Russian audiences

Russian president Dmitri A. Medvedev has ordered his country’s military operations to cease in Georgia. However he did not say his troops were pulling out of Georgia. He said the Russian troops will continue to fire upon any enemies in Southern Ossetia.

Reports on the ground say that Russian troops are digging in around Georgian cities. There has been no cease fire yet. A Russian withdrawal will only come when a formal cease-fire has been reached added Medvedev. Only an hour after Medvedev spoke on television bombs were heard falling over the Georgian city of Gori, near Tbilisi.

It seems that there will be no bull out of Russian troops from Georgia yet. We will have to wait and see what the Russian’s next move will be. We do however have new information on movements by the Russian forces, including paratroopers landing in a port city.

President Bush speaks on Georgia, Russia bombs Tbilisi

President Bush held a press conference at 5:20pm EST. He went on to state that he had “evidence that Russia has plans to bomb Tbilisi’s civilian airport. That information is true.”

President Bush in the Rose garden

This following reports out of Georgia that the airport had been bombed along with radar installations throughout the country.

If the bombing of the Tbilisi airport occurs that is militarily significant. The United States, and the European Union have announced their intentions to send humanitarian aid to Georgia. Tbilisi was the one airport from which aid could have arrived and been distributed. There are also thousands of Americans stuck in Tbilisi and that would leave only land routes to escape. A convoy has been scheduled to leave Tbilisi for tomorrow with Americans and Europeans on board, we’ll see if it leaves.

President Bush called Russia’s actions ” a dramatic and brutal escalation” those are some tough words to use against Prime Minister Putin. He went on to say this was “Unacceptable in the 21st century.” and that “Russia is losing its standing in the international community.” It seems that was a direct shot at PM Putin.

Russia captures Gori, Americans pull out of Georgia

In what seems to be a steady stream of breaking news a new story has developed.

The Red area is land no longer under Georgian control. The Orange is occupied or disputed Georgian territory. This is an approximation since information is difficult to acquire in a war zone.

The United States State Department has evacuated over 170 Americans from the Republic of Georgia as news of the Russian occupation of Gori spread. Two different convoys have left Tbilisi with 170 Americans along with their family members on their way to Armenia. The United States is sending in more convoys in order to remove any other Americans from the war zone. The Russian military is citing the takeover of Gori as a way to prevent attacks from Georgia into South Ossetia.

Gori is a key Georgian city on the way to the capital of Tbilisi. The Russian’s have denied having Russian troops on the ground in Gori, however eyewitness accounts differ.

Russia expands blitz, Ukraine drawn in.

Map of Georgian Conflict Zones

As expected Russian forces opened up a new front line in the province of Abkhazia invading the internationally recognized sovereign territory of Georgia. The Georgian Government has stated that 4,000 Russian soldiers have been sent to this region. This is on top of the troops pushing forward in South Ossetia. The province of Abkhazia has been a de-facto republic and autonomous region of Georgia living quite peacefully until recently. The assault from Abkhazia has been backed by both separatists in the region and the Russian Navy. Here is where Ukraine gets involved.

The Russian Naval Fleet is based in Ukraine, much to the dismay of Ukraine. Ukraine however has said it will bar Russian ships which took part in the offensive from returning to their base. You can bet your money on it that the Russians will not be happy.

Violence Escalates in Georgia

Wojtek Grzedzinski/Napo Images

Welcome to Tbilisi,
Violence has escalated fiercely and Georgia and Russia are at all out war. Russian jets have begun bombing civilian buildings in South Ossetia to drive out the Georgians. At the same time rebels in Abkhazia have launched an attack on Georgia from the west. Russia’s escalation can be attributed to what President Medvedev said recently his goal was; “to force the Georgian side to peace”.

Russian PM Vladimir Putin stopped by the Russian front on his way back from Beijing. Both sides have been arguing over who controls South Ossetia’s capital, with Moscow saying it has “liberated” Tskhinvali.

Russia Invades Georgia

Tbilisi, Georgia today Russia invaded the small caucus state of Georgia. Tanks have rolled in and aerial bombing of the region of South Ossetia has begun.

Russian tanks rolling into Georgia

South Ossetia is a Georgian province which has been claimed by Russia as their own. Recent violence in the region has prompted the Georgian military to crack down on the rebels and Russia responded in kind. Believing that this was their land the Russians moved to “defend” their land.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said “Georgia will not yield its territory or renounce its freedom.”

Shota Utiashvili, a spokesman for the Georgian Ministry of the Interior said “Around 10 a.m. Friday, Georgia said Russian military aircraft violated Georgian airspace and dropped two bombs on Kareli, a part of Georgia that is about 50 miles northwest of the capital, Tblisi, and is not in the conflict zone”