Russia attacks Georgia

BeachBoys

Georgian troops fire rockets at seperatist South Ossetian troops froman unnamed location not far from Tskhinvali on August 8, 2008. Georgiais taking measures to prevent Russian "mercenaries" from infiltratingthe country, Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze said as Georgianforces attacked the Russian-backed breakaway province of South Ossetia.AFP PHOTO / VANO SHLAMOV (Photo credit should read VANOSHLAMOV/AFP/Getty Images)

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Russian troops ride atop armored vehicles near the village of Khurchaheading towards the border of Georgia in breakaway region of AbkhaziaAugust 10, 2008. Russian troops on Monday issued an ultimatum toGeorgian forces in a zone near the breakaway region of Abkhazia todisarm or face attack, but Georgia rejected the demand, Interfax newsagency reported on Monday. Picture taken August 10, 2008.REUTERS/Vladimir Popov (GEORGIA)

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Russian troops ride atop armored vehicles near the village of Khurchaheading towards the border of Georgia in breakaway region of AbkhaziaAugust 10, 2008. Russian troops on Monday issued an ultimatum toGeorgian forces in a zone near the breakaway region of Abkhazia todisarm or face attack, but Georgia rejected the demand, Interfax newsagency reported on Monday. Picture taken August 10, 2008.REUTERS/Vladimir Popov (GEORGIA)

BeachBoys

Georgian tanks drive on the outskirts of Gori on August 11, 2008 ontheir way to reposition on the South Ossetian front line. Dozens ofRussian warplanes staged new raids in Georgia on August 11 which inturn pounded the Russian-controlled capital of breakaway South Ossetia,the two sides said, as European leaders intensified efforts to head offall-out war. AFP PHOTO/MARCO LONGARI (Photo credit should read MARCOLONGARI/AFP/Getty Images)

BeachBoys

A convoy of Russian troops makes its way through the Caucasus Mountainstoward the armed conflict between Georgian troops and separatist SouthOssetian troops, in the South Ossetian village of Dzhaba on August 9,2008. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili declared a "state of war"as his troops battled it out with Russian forces over the breakawayprovince of South Ossetia. (Dmitry Kostyukov/AFP)

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Georgian soldiers run as a Russian rocket fire hits a convoy ofdeparting Georgian troops just outside Gori on August 11, 2008. Russianforces have occupied the city of Gori and Georgian forces arefortifying positions near Tbilisi to defend the capital, the secretaryof Georgia's security council, Alexander Lomaia. AFP PHOTO / DIMITARDILKOFF (Photo credit should read DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP/Getty Images)

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Georgian soldiers sit on an APC as they leave the town of Gori onAugust 11, 2008. Russia's defence ministry today denied a Georgianclaim that Russian forces had occupied the Georgian city of Gori, theInterfax news agency reported. AFP PHOTO / DIMITAR DILKOFF (Photocredit should read DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP/Getty Images)

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Georgian soldiers sit on a truck as they leave the town of Gori onAugust 11, 2008. Russia's defence ministry today denied a Georgianclaim that Russian forces had occupied the Georgian city of Gori, theInterfax news agency reported. AFP PHOTO / DIMITAR DILKOFF (Photocredit should read DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP/Getty Images)

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Georgian soldiers leave the town of Gori on August 11, 2008. Accordingto the secretary of Georgia's security council, Alexander Lomaia,Russian forces have occupied the city of Gori and Georgian forces arefortifying positions near Tbilisi to defend the capital. Russia'sdefence ministry today denied the Georgian claim that Russian forceshad occupied the Georgian city of Gori, the Interfax news agencyreported. AFP PHOTO / DIMITAR DILKOFF (Photo credit should read DIMITARDILKOFF/AFP/Getty Images)

BeachBoys

Rockets for Russia's Uragan (Hurricane) multiple rocket launch systemsarrive in Tskhinvali, the capital of Georgia's breakaway republic ofSouth Ossetia, August 12, 2008. Russian President Dmitry Medvedevordered a cease fire in Georgia on Tuesday, but U.S. officials couldnot confirm fighting had stopped and threatened Moscow's membership inimportant global clubs. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko (GEORGIA)

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A Russian Uragan (Hurricane) multiple rocket launch system moves on itsway to Tskhinvali, the capital of Georgia's breakaway republic of SouthOssetia, August 12, 2008. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko (GEORGIA

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A column of Russia's Grad (Hail) multiple rocket launch system enterscentral Tskhinvali, the capital of Georgia's breakaway province ofSouth Ossetia, August 12, 2008. Russian President Dmitry Medvedevordered a cease fire in Georgia on Tuesday, but U.S. officials couldnot confirm fighting had stopped and threatened Moscow's membership inimportant global clubs. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko (GEORGIA)

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GORI, GEORGIA - AUGUST 11: (ISRAEL OUT) A Georgian woman holds her headas Georgian soldiers head towards Tbilisi on August 11, 2008 in Gori,Georgia. Russia called today for Georgian forces to surrender in theseparatist enclave of Abkhazia after Georgia called a ceasefire andwithdrew their forces from South Ossetia, leaving Russian forces nowfirmly in control in the disputed region. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/GettyImages)

yipun78

Tue Sep 9, 4:06 PM ET

Pentagon set on mission to rebuild Georgian military

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The Pentagon said Tuesday it was sending a team to Georgia this week to assess needs for rebuilding its military, emphasizing that Tbilisi must be capable of deterring any new Russian attack.

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"The Department of Defense is sending an assessment team to Tbilisi later this week to help us begin to consider carefully Georgia's legitimate needs and our response," said Under Secretary of Defense Eric Edelman.

"After assessments of these needs, we will review how the United States will be able to support the reconstruction of Georgia's economy, infrastructure, and armed forces," he told a congressional hearing on the Georgia-Russia conflict.

The steps to help Georgia, he said, would be "sequenced" and would show US support for its security, independence, and territorial integrity.

"Georgia, like any sovereign country, should have the ability to defend itself and to deter renewed aggression," he said.

To suggestions by a senator that Georgia be given anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons in a bid to at least "delay" further Russian movement into its neighbor, Edelman said there could be "some understanding with Georgia about what capabilities it thinks it needs.

"There should not be any question whether Georgia is entitled to military assistance from NATO or any allies."

Russia on Tuesday submitted a draft resolution in the UN Security Council demanding an arms embargo, saying "some countries" wanted to start re-arming Georgia and were allocating "large sums of money" for that purpose.

Washington has been providing largely humanitarian aid to Georgia after Russia's military surged into the pro-Western nation on August 8 to rebuff a Georgian offensive to regain control of South Ossetia from Moscow-backed separatists.

Moscow then went on to recognize the two breakaway regions as independent states.

US efforts to help Georgia will not be undertaken by Washington alone, Edelman said, citing parallel moves by NATO.

"NATO has also decided to assist Georgia in assessing the damage caused by Russian military action, including to the Georgian armed forces, and to help restore critical services necessary for normal public life and economic activity," he said.

NATO has sent an advisory support team to Georgia as well as its special envoy for the Caucasus and Central Asia, and the North Atlantic Council permanent representatives are also planning visits.

"We must not, and will not, allow Russia's aggression to succeed in Georgia," Edelman said.

"Nor must we miss an opportunity to link arms in solidarity with our partners and friends in the region in the face of aggression," he added.

Last week, the United States rolled out a one billion dollars in additional economic assistance to Georgia to help it weather immediate needs caused by the current turmoil.

BeachBoys

Russia plans to build new army bases in the Caucasus.The military will finish their construction by the end of next year

Yevgeniy Belikov

BeachBoys

05/09/2008

Did US send military aid to Georgia?

MOSCOW (AP) - Russia warned the West on Monday againstsupporting Georgia's leadership, suggesting that the United Statescarried weapons as well as aid to the ex-Soviet republic and callingfor an arms embargo until the Georgian government falls.

The remarks by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his spokesman arelikely to anger the United States and Europe and enrage GeorgianPre璼ident Mikhail Saakashvili, who has said Russia's goal all alonghas been to remove him from power.


"If instead of choosing their national interests and the interests ofthe Georgian people, the United States and its allies choose theSaakashvili regime, this will be a mistake of truly historicproportions," he said.


"For a start it would be right to impose an embargo on weapons to thisregime, until different authorities turn Georgia into a normal state,"he said in an address at Russia's top foreign policy graduate school.

Hours later, the spokesman for Lavrov's ministry suggested U.S. shipsthat carried humanitarian aid to Georgia's Black Sea coast followinglast month's war may also have delivered weapons.

Without naming a specific country, Foreign Ministry spokesman AndreiNesterenko said there were "suppositions" that the cargo of militaryships bringing aid to Georgia may also have included "militarycomponents that will be used for the rearmament" of Georgia's military.

He provided no evidence, but said such suspicions were a reason for Russia's call for an arms embargo.Lavrov reserved particular criticism for the United States, which hastrained Georgian troops, saying such aid had failed to give Washingtonsufficient leverage to restrain the Georgian government. Instead, hesaid, "It encouraged the irresponsible and unpredictable regime in itsgambles."

Neither the State Department nor the Pentagon had immediate comment.Russia's ties to the West have been driven to their lowest point sincethe Soviet collapse of 1991 by the war last month in Georgia, whereSaakashvili angered Moscow by courting the West and seeking NATOmembership.

Russia repelled a Georgian offensive against the breakaway Georgianprovince of South Ossetia and sent troops, tanks and bombers deep intoundisputed Georgian territory, where some still maintain positions.Mos璫ow last week recognized South Ossetia and another breakawayregion, Abkhazia, as independent countries.

Russian peacekeeping forces were stationed in South Ossetia before thewar and Moscow had given most of South Ossetia's residents Russianpassports in recent years, enabling the Kremlin to argue that it wasdefending its citizens when it responded to Georgia's Aug. 7 offensivein the separatist province.

Nesterenko also said that Russia would welcome an EU-dominated international police presence and more military observers from

the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in what is nowa Russian-controlled zone around Georgia's breakaway region of SouthOssetia.

But he indicated that Russia would want to take part in the policeforce, and that it would be a long time before Russia would considerreducing its military presence in and around South Ossetia andAbkhazia.

Nesterenko said that while Russia will review aspects of its foreignpolicy it will not change course - an apparent attempt to assure Europethat Russia will continue to seek cooperation.

"The recent events demand a regrouping of our approaches andpositions," he said. "But we are not talking about any change of coursein international affairs."



http://www.mnweekly.ru/politics/20080905/55345239.html

[ Last edited by  BeachBoys at 18-10-2008 02:30 AM ]

BeachBoys

17/ 10/ 2008

Abkhazia says Russia will not build new army bases in republic

MOSCOW, October 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's main military base inAbkhazia will be in Gudauta, and no new bases will be built, theAbkhazian foreign minister said Friday.

"We assume that derelict military bases in Abkhazia should be broughtback to life to house the Russian military," Sergei Shamba said.

Russia is expected to station about 4,000 military personnel inAbkhazia. Russian peacekeepers have been based in Gudauta, at a formerSoviet airbase.

"I cannot say how many Russian troops there are in Abkhazia now,"Shamba said. "A significant number remained following the events ofAugust."

Shamba said his country had banned the West from deploying observers onthe republic's territory. "The EU is now on Georgian territory, theywant to spread their observers to our territory. We will not agree tothat," he said after a first round of discussions in Geneva.

The Abkhazian leader also said the Russian and Abkhazian authoritieshave agreed where the Russian embassy to Abkhazia and the ambassador'sresidence will be.

He also said the ambassador had been decided but would not identify thecandidate. "It is a well-known Russian diplomat," he said, adding thatthere had been no decision on the Abkhazian ambassador to Russia.

Russia launched its five-day military operation to "force Georgia toaccept peace" after Georgian troops attacked breakaway South Ossetia onAugust 8, killing a number of Russian peacekeepers and hundreds ofcivilians.

Russia's response to the Georgian attack was labeled disproportionateby a number of Western powers. On August 26, Russia recognized SouthOssetia and Abkhazia as independent states.

The two republics broke away from Georgia following the collapse of theSoviet Union in the early 1990s amid armed conflicts that claimedthousands of lives.


http://en.rian.ru/world/20081017/117803835.html

[ Last edited by  BeachBoys at 18-10-2008 02:31 AM ]