Georgia says Russians moving into Gori (and Poti)

AP ^ | August 14, 2008 5:33 AM ET

[maquiladora]

GORI, Georgia (AP) - The Georgian Foreign Ministry says more Russian troops have moved into the strategically key city of Gori even though a withdrawal had appeared to be under way earlier in the day.

Ministry spokeswoman Nato Chikovani also said Thursday that Russian troops had moved into the Black Sea oil port city of Poti, from which they had appeared to leave earlier.

[Alia]

Just now found data in another thread:

Russia said today it will soon pull out from Gori, a town 60km east of the capital Tbilisi, just outside South Ossetia and which contols the key road between eastern and western Georgia.

[Travis McGee]

[Alia]

erhaps we should also look for the possibility that Iran might light things up soon.

Definitely, a must-watch.

[Travis McGee]

Whoops, try this one.

[Grzegorz 246]

Eastern European ping list

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FRmail me to be added or removed from this Eastern European ping list

[jhpigott]

from interfax -

10:36 Yushchenko decree on Black Sea Fleet ships reflects political crisis inUkraine - Lavrov

10:43 Russian peacekeepers to stay on alert in S. Ossetia - Medvedev

10:53 Russia to insist on signing binding deal on settling S. Ossetia,Abkhazia conflicts - Medvedev

10:57 Russia ready to discuss expansion of intl observer mission in conflictarea

10:58 Intl partners will help bring peace to S. Ossetia, Abkhazia - Medvedev

11:20 Lavrov denies Russian tanks were poised to reach Tbilisi

11:59 Lavrov accuses Western media of biased coverage of Georgia war

[link to www.interfax.com]

[jhpigott]

Russia: ‘Forget’ About Georgian Territorial Integrity; Explosions in Gori

Thursday, August 14, 2008

GORI, Georgia — Explosions were heard near Gori on Thursday as a Russian troop withdrawal from the strategic city seemed to collapse. A fragile cease-fire appeared even more shaky as Russia’s foreign minister declared that the world “can forget about any talk about Georgia’s territorial integrity.”

The declaration from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov came simultaneously with the announcement that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was meeting in the Kremlin with the leaders of Georgia’s two separatist provinces.

“One can forget about any talk about Georgia’s territorial integrity because, I believe, it is impossible to persuade South Ossetia and Abkhazia to agree with the logic that they can be forced back into the Georgian state,” Lavrov told reporters.

At least five explosions were heard near Gori. It could not immediately be determined if the blasts were a renewal of fighting between Georgian and Russian forces, but they sounded similar to mortar shells and occurred after a tense confrontation between Russian and Georgian troops on the edge of the city.

More,

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,403462,00.html

[justa-hairyape]

Here is a relief map with roads I think. Will examine it after posting.

[justa-hairyape]

They could bypass Tbilisi through Borjami ? west of Gori. But that road takes them on a heading straight to the Turkish border before taking a sharp turn back east. Looks like all good roads lead through Tbilisi.

[justa-hairyape]

Georgia might want to consider blowing some bridges out west.

[hellbender]

"Scratch a Russian and find a Tatar."

--Napoleon Bonaparte

[jhpigott]

Just coming across the wires -

Russian armour massed near Zugdidi-Reuters witness
14 Aug 2008 12:23:39 GMT
Source: Reuters

</SPAN> ZUGDIDI, Georgia, Aug 14 (Reuters) - More than 100 Russian armoured vehicles were massed two km (1.5 miles) from the centre of Zugdidi, a major town in western Georgia, a Reuters witness said.
“I counted 104 Russian army vehicles, including 40 armoured vehicles, most of which are tanks,” Reuters staff photographer Umit Bektas said by telephone from the city.
Bektas said their purpose was unclear.
He said the convoy included weapons such as rocket propelled grenades and was carrying Russian flags. (Writing by Guy Faulconbridge and Melissa Akin)

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LE695362.htm

[hellbender]

Amen. Too many in the West, and even on FR, project motives of democratic politicians and leaders onto those of totaliarian thug states like Russia and China, thinking they are only after profits and “respect,” rather than conquest.

[maquiladora]

Seems like they are still moving around and destorying whatever is left of the Georgian military infastructure in the areas they are occupying.

[Centurion2000]

bump

[justa-hairyape]

If you are going to take the Caucasus you have to take Tbilisi. The Russians cannot afford to leave it intact behind their front lines. They may try to move that Zugdidi force east and then south toward the Turkish border. They could use the cover of night when they get near Turkey. That could be an encircling force to threaten Tbilisi from the south.

[jhpigott]

From what I understand though, Georgia was able to avoid large scale confrontation with the Russian armor (except for the engagement around the rebel capital in the first few days of the war) and pulled back in and around Tblisi.

If Russia is really going to put a dent in the Georgian military (at least the hardware) they would have to confront them down in and around Tblisi. They can go around blowing up empty barracks, cratering runways and setting off ammo storage dumps, but it sounds like if they want to get at the Georgian military itself, it’s got to go down to Tblisi

[Ebenezer]

Star Wars’ Emperor Palpatine, without the hood. (shudder)

[maquiladora]

I’m sure they’d love to hit the remaining Georgian armor. From what I’ve heard there is a long line of it on the road from Tblisi to Gori waiting for the Russians to leave Gori so they can go back and secure the city.

I think Russia is destorying whatever it can in the area that it is limited to. Radar stations, roads, buildings, boats etc.

[jhpigott]

and it sounds like no one is going to do much to stop them . . . Georgia is going to have its hands full rebuilding and regaining the trust of its populace