The Russian Side of the Georgian Story

Moscow finds the actions of the Georgian government in South Ossetia genocidal, and it offered aid to the region. Tbilisi asserts that all it is doing is restoring “constitutional order”. After the invasion of South Ossetia by Georgian troops on 8 August, the scope of the human suffering was immense. The Georgians shelled the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali with artillery, mortars, tank guns, and Grad multiple-rocket-launchers. Georgian snipers deliberately targeted innocent civilians. The greater part of the city has been devastated, and the South Ossetian government reports that some 2,000 civilians have been killed by the Georgians. 12 Russian soldiers of the peacekeeping force were killed, and 150 were wounded. Units of the 58th Army arrived in the region to relieve the beleaguered garrison. In accordance with existing international agreements, including the ceasefire accord of 1999, Russia not only plays a role as a peacekeeper, it is obliged to come to the aid of the attacked party in the case of a breach of the ceasefire.

Source: Voices from Russia