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Russian forces stop Georgian offensive against South Ossetia

Vladimir Radyuhin

The Russians have taken full control of the regional capital Tskhinvali

MOSCOW: Russian forces, rushed into South Ossetia to repulse Georgia’s massive offensive against its breakaway territory, have taken full control of the regional capital Tskhinvali and are driving Georgian troops beyond the conflict zone, a Russian military commander said.

“Russian troops have fully liberated Tskhinvali from the Georgian military and have started pushing Georgian units beyond the zone of peacekeepers’ responsibility,” Commander-in-Chief of the Russian ground forces General Vladimir Boldyrev told reporters.

A Russian army spokesman said some Georgian troops had surrendered to the Russian forces.

Russia on Saturday sent in elite paratroops to South Ossetia to reinforce two battalions, tanks and artillery that entered the region on Friday.

U.S. President George W. Bush called Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to urge a halt to hostilities. However, Mr. Medvedev told him that Russian forces were in South Ossetia under their peacekeeping mandate to “enforce peace on Georgia” and protect civilians in the province, most of whose residents held Russian passports.

The Russian leader said Russia insisted on the withdrawal of Georgian forces from South Ossetia and the signing of an agreement on non-use of force the region.

The Russian military said 13 Russian peacekeepers were killed on Friday and about 150 wounded.

The conflict on Saturday spread to Georgia’s other breakaway territory, Abkhazia, as it launched a military operation to oust Georgian forces from the Kodori Gorge, a demilitarised zone where Georgia had deployed troops in violation of a 1994 ceasefire agreement.

Georgia’s President Mikheil Saakashvili declared a state of war, saying Georgia had come under “total military aggression,” and calling for “an immediate ceasefire.” Other western nations have also called for an end to hostilities.

However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected calls for a ceasefire. He told reporters that Georgia must first withdraw all forces from South Ossetia and sign a non-aggression pact with the breakaway region. Russia reserves the right to attack any part of Georgia used for the offensive in South Ossetia, the Minister said.

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