Posted on 08/26/2008 2:16:55 AM PDT by maquiladora
TBILISI, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Two U.S. warships will deliver humanitarian supplies on Wednesday to the Georgian Black Sea port of Poti where Russian troops have been mounting patrols, the U.S. embassy in Tbilisi said on Tuesday.
(Excerpt) Read more at alertnet.org ...
Now it gets interesting...
Is this the “double dog dare”?
TBILISI, Georgia: A spokesman for the U.S. embassy says the American navy will deliver food aid to a Georgian port city where Russian forces have set up checkpoints on the outskirts.
The city, Poti, is one of the most tense areas of Georgia following this month’s war with Russia. Although many Russian troops have pulled back under a cease-fire agreement, hundreds remain at checkpoints in so-called “security zones” that Moscow claims for itself.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/26/news/Georgia-US.php
It might explain why this is happening now...
http://informationdissemination.blogspot.com/2008/08/breaking-moskva-scrambles-back-to-sea.html
I doubt that we’ll see any Russians in Poti again for the foreseeable future.
It’s going to get real interesting when the winter snows shut down the Roki tunnel. It may be a long, miserable winter for those Russians in occupied Georgia.
Not sure of the accuracy of this article since the McFaul was reported elsewhere to have docked at Batumi.
At last report, the Russians still have some checkpoints on the outskirts of Poti, but the arrival of our ships should encourage them to pack up and get out.
It was at Batumi, now it has moved to Poti.
Unlikely that any forces in Poti would be re-supplied via Roki tunnel. Resupply would come down from Abkhazia by road or through Ochamchira or even directly to Poti itself.
Yes, it docked in Batumi on Sunday.
It’s docking in Poti on Wednesday.
I doubt it. The Russians won't want to be seen to be backing down ahead of the arrival of the US. There are no Russians at the port itself so a direct confrontation isn't likely unless they decide to move into the city to inspect the aid being offloaded...could get interesting...
Excellent!!! So happy to hear that Georgia will be defended.
Hope you are right. But it may be just as likely that the Russians will contrive to seize all those supplies.
U.S. destroyer heads to Georgian port of Poti
A U.S. navy destroyer carrying humanitarian aid to Georgia was headed to the port city of Poti, where Russian forces were deployed, a U.S. embassy spokesman said Tuesday. (UPDATED)
The USS McFaul and another US ship, the Dallas coast guard cutter, were to arrive Wednesday in the strategic Black Sea port in a strong show of support for Georgia.
“At the request of the Georgian government, they will be delivering humanitarian aid to Poti,” spokesman Steve Guice told AFP.
Asked about the presence of Russian soldiers in Poti, Guice said: “We are not trying to provoke anything, but we are willing to go wherever to deliver humanitarian aid.”
Georgian Interior Ministry Spokesman Shota Utiashvili told AFP that Russian forces were holding two positions on roads leading into Poti in western Georgia on Tuesday.
Russian forces have also carried out patrols in the city after the bulk of its forces withdrew from Georgia last Friday.
Moscow says it has the right under a French-brokered deal to maintain an “area of responsibility” far into the country’s territory, including in and around Poti.
The McFaul arrived at the port city of Batumi on Sunday as the first of three U.S. ships that are to carry thousands of blankets, hygiene kits, baby food and infant care supplies to Georgia.
It had been moored about two kilometers (1.2 miles) offshore from the Black Sea port.
The U.S. Navy has said that the USS Mount Whitney, the flagship of the Sixth Fleet, will also set sail for the Black Sea at the end of the month.
Russia has accused NATO countries of using humanitarian aid as cover for a build-up of naval forces in the Black Sea in the wake of the conflict.
On Monday, a Russian warship active during the conflict with Georgia left the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Sevastopol, an AFP correspondent said.
The Moskva, equipped with P-500 Bazalt sea-based anti-ship missiles and an air defense system, had returned to port on Saturday after leaving its base on the second day of Russian manoeuvres in Georgia.
A crew member quoted by RIA Novosti said that the warship was cruising eastern areas of the Black Sea, not far from Georgia.
Russia sent tanks and troops into Georgian territory in response to a Georgian offensive on August 7 to retake South Ossetia, a breakaway region backed by Moscow.
http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/home/9749795.asp?gid=244&sz=84525
I think Russia is going to have trouble keeping those remote checkpoints resupplied over a long period of time.
Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces Colonel General Anatoly Nogovitsyn told reporters that there are nine NATO ships off the coast of Georgia. Among them, two U.S. ships, one Spanish, German, and Polish ship, and four Turkish ships. "This increases the degree of tension in the region," - the General stressed.
Nice to hear the Turks have thrown their hat into the ring. That's called checkmate.
Well it looks like Russia is planning to recognise the independance of Abkhazia, and since Poti is only 30 miles from the ‘border’ with Abkhazia it’s not a long distance by road/chopper.
Also, since whatever Georgian naval/coast guard vessels existed are now at the bottom of the sea there’s not going to be anything to stop Russians re-supplying by sea directly into Poti - apart from potential NATO vessels.
It’s gonna be interesting, thats for sure!
Occpuants reinforce positions in Samegrelo Region
26.08.08 13:06
Russian occupants are keeping and reinforcing their positions in Samegrelo Region. Local authorities report they are deploying and stationing additional military hardware around the illegal checkpoints.
The aggressors remain in Chkhorotsku, Tsalenjikha, Senaki-Chkhorotsku and Khobi-Zugdidi Highway. Russians are digging entrenchments along the Poti-Zugdidi and Pakhulani-Lia sectors of the highway.
Occupants are maintaining positions on strategic heights, installing weapons and arrange wire entanglements along the occupied territories.
The aggressors have damaged fibrous cable causing problems on internet service and banking operations.
http://rustavi2.com/news/news_text.php?id_news=27613&pg=1&im=main&ct=0&wth=
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