New hope for Georgia
Today’s alliance with the US will help ensure the sovereignty of Georgia in the face of Russian aggression
Eka Tkeshelashvili
guardian.co.uk
Smart Aid
Strengthening Georgia’s Democracy Is the Most Powerful Response to Russia, says President Saakashvili in State of the Nation Address
“Our best protection lies not in the arms that we wield, but in the ideas and values that gui de our people,” President tells NATO ambassadors; lays out “new wave” of reforms In his annual state of the nation address, President Saakashvili laid out a series of bold reforms to reinforce Georgian democracy in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion and partial occupation of the country. →
Despite Yielding Ground, Russia Takes Critical Spots
TBILISI, Georgia — Russia gave conflicting signals on Thursday about whether it would withdraw its troops from Georgia by its self-imposed deadline of Friday, while Georgia’s president said he saw “very little if any movement” of Russian troops from occupied areas. →
Timeline of Events in the Russians Invasion & Occupation of Georgia
21 AUGUST
21:00 Russian troops once again fail to pullout as agreed
Russian troops again delayed the pool out to of troops. According to the Commander of Russian Ground Forces Army General Vladimir Boldirev the process of withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Georgia will take 10 days. He declared that peacekeeping checkpoints will start operating from August 22 and the rest Russian troops will pullout in coming ten days.
19:30 Russian militaries release 10 soldiers out of 20, captured on 19th of August in Poti Port.
18:00 Russian military handed 62 Georgian civilian hostages to Georgian side. Government of Georgia claims 101 more civilians are kept by Russian side in Tskhinvali.
16:00 According to the Foreign Minister of Finland and the OSCE Chair in Office Alex Stubb, there is little evidence of Russian troops withdrawing.
Russia restricts the freedom of movement throughout territory of Georgia
Embassy of the Russian Federation to Georgia handed a Note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, according to which the Ministry of Defense of the RF must be in advance notified about any planned travel of all delegations and persons to Gori. The statement of Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers this as an attempt from Russian side to restrict the freedom of movement for the diplomatic corps throughout the territory of Georgia and serves as another proof of continued occupation of Georgian territory by the Russian armed forces.
15:00 Russians creating a buffer zone
According to Anatoly Nogovitsin,Ddeputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, Russian forces will establish two lines of checkpoints in “a security zone” in the vicinity of South Ossetia”. “The first line will include eight checkpoints across the line of zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers. The second line – involving 10 checkpoints – will be set across the administrative border of South Ossetia. Total of 272 soldiers will be deployed on the eight checkpoints of the first line,” he declared, and added that there will be a buffer zone between these two lines. Nogovitsin did not give any other details or specifics about the exact area of the zone; however he said that the town of Gori would not be included in the zone.
10:30 aprx. Eric Fournier blocked near Gori
Ambassador of France to Georgia Eric Fournier is being blocked near Gori by Russian troops on his way from Satchkhere to Tbilisi and is prevented to continue his drive. He has been allowed to continue at 13:00.
10:30 Russian troops digging entrenchments in Poti
Russian occupants start digging entrenchments in Poti. Russian `BMP` armored vehicles and `URAL` trucks are located at the Nabadi territory at the entrance of the city.
20 AUGUST
22:30 Russians reopen Gori check-points
• Russian troops reopen check-points in Gori that had been reportedly closed several hours before.
18:30 Russians drop fire-setting bombs 10 km from Tbilisi
• In Kiketi, 10 km from Tbilisi, Russian military aircrafts drop fire-setting bombs, the forest in burning
16:00 Russians occupy village in Chkhorotsku district, Samegrelo region, western Georgia
• Russians enter village Chogha of Chkhorotsku district, Samegrelo region, with armored vehicles and start digging the trenches.
15:30 Russians make checkpoint in the entrance of Poti
14:40 Russian troops enter villages Perevi and Jvria in Sachkere district. They are preparing entrenchments in the entrances of these villages.
14:00 Houses burning in Gori district
• Houses in village Dzevera in Gori district are burning. Besides, the Boshuri forest is also burning and the villages Bisi and Bobnevi are under danger.
13:00 Russian militaries try to prevent Matyas Eorsi from entering Gori
• Representative of the Council of Europe Matyas Eorsi is prevented by Russian militaries from entering Gori. After long dispute he entered the city, and was stopped again on his way back.
12:00 Governor of Shida Kartli arrested
• Representative of President-Governor of Shida Kartli Lado Vardzelashvili is arrested by Russian militaries at one of illegal Russian checkpoints as he was trying to release the trucks with humanitarian aid to the population of Gori district. He was released from custody two hours later.
Russian militaries do not allow trucks with humanitarian aid to enter Karaleti village in Gori district.
11:00 Russian militaries occupy Perevi village in Sachkhere district, Imereti region, western Georgia
• Russian militaries occupy the village of Perevi, Sachkhere district, Imereti region. Over 50 Russian soldiers and three tanks are stationed there. It is reported that aggressors urge the population to get out of their houses and flee the village. →
For our Freedom
This post will probably be in English soon. Now you can read it in Russian - Русский and Ukrainian - Українська.
Timeline of Russian invasion into Georgia
As of 15:00, August 20, 2008
The information below is accurate to the best of our knowledge,
but is subject to verification.
20 AUGUST
Syria looks for Russian arms deal
Taken from FT.com
By Isabel Gorst in Moscow and Roula Khalaf in London
August 20, 2008 6:26:00 PM
Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s president, arrived on a two-day visit to Russia on Wednesday seeking new weapons and greater military co-operation and hoping to capitalise on the rising tensions between Moscow and the west. →
CNN: NATO, Russia in war of words over Georgia
BRUSSELS, Belgium (CNN) — NATO and Russia remained at loggerheads Wednesday as senior figures within the military alliance accused Moscow of not fully honoring the cease-fire deal, brokered by the European Union to end the fighting in Georgia. →
BBC: Russia rejects UN Georgia draft
Russia has rejected a draft UN Security Council resolution on Georgia, saying it contradicted the terms of last week’s ceasefire deal. →