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Ganza's blog

BBC news from South Ossetia

While reading a lot about the conflict in Georgia I usually found anti-Russian articles. Like any person who wants to make his own opinion i needed other news sources which were not so easy to find.

Although I've found articles about the "bad Russia" the comments people left made me very happy. People were saying that the conflict was started by Georgia and Russia's actions are justified. Of course there were both type of comments pro-Russian and anti-Russian but I was still happy because both sides of views were present.

I've found this article on BBC's website about the situation in South Ossetia. Here is the article.

In the centre of the South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali, many buildings have been completely destroyed in the fighting.

There are apartment buildings all around with smashed windows, with bullet and shrapnel damage and gaping holes where there used to be windows.

People in Tskhinvali - the few that remain after many fled the fighting - told me they can see no future for South Ossetia in Georgia now, if they ever did.

They very clearly blame Georgia for the fighting and are extremely angry with President Mikhail Saakashvili, comparing him to Adolf Hitler.

Russian troops have been greeted in Tskhinvali as lifesavers.

People in the streets have been saying "thank you Russia, thank you Russia".

Most people in South Ossetia hold Russian passports and people feel a great affinity with Russia, and with North Ossetia over the border.

Posters in the street say "a united Ossetia is our future".

Georgians and South Ossetians used to live side by side but it looks like this will not be possible in the future.

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Footage from inside the shattered city of Tskhinvali

I have seen the wreck of two Georgian tanks on a square near what was the main base of Russian peacekeepers.

The Russian military, which we are travelling with, said Georgian tanks fired on the peacekeepers and that was one of the key moments in this conflict. Georgia says it only acted in response to attacks by separatist and Russian forces.

I have been speaking to residents who are out trying to clear the wreck of their houses.

They have told me they have no water and no electricity here and they showed me the tiny basements where they sat out the fighting with their children.

One woman showed me where she hid with her daughter for two days with only a small lamp and a can of condensed milk.

The streets are quiet now but we did pass villages where houses were on fire.

A Russian military spokesman says the city of Tskhinvali itself is under Russian control now and there are no reports of any serious fighting.

But as to when the Russian troops will withdraw, he said there had been no official order for that.

I was told by the Russian army that it will respond with force if the region is attacked again.

On the way to Tskhinvali I saw about 12 armoured personnel carriers carrying tired-looking Russian soldiers heading away from South Ossetia.

But I have also seen military movement in the other direction, army trucks carrying personnel moving towards South Ossetia.

Those who have fled, however, seem in no hurry to return. I have seen no convoy of refugees gladly returning to their capital - indeed those I spoke to yesterday in North Ossetia, said they were not ready to go back to their homes.

Here is the map of Georgia

BBC article

Tagged as georgia south ossetia russia news

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Clock Aug 14 2008 07:38 am

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Ganza's blog



Comments8 comments
Aug 14 2008 08:03 pm

Support your point of view. Russia has been supporting Osetian de-facto independence. Russia gave everybody citizenship. Russia kept their soldiers as peacekeepers. With all that....... Georgia started the military action, and in a special dates of the Olympic games, where all civilized war makes cease-fire. Pretty stupid, I think. Since Russia is far stronger than Georgia. Or they counted on NATO and US support?

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CommentsReply:
Aug 15 2008 06:19 am

This conflict serves many purposes or at least many politicians in many countries will take advantage of it to lobby their goals.

Regarding the support I think Saakashvili really thought NATO and the international community would support him but in reality no country will go in all out war with Russia. Conflict with countries which can destroy the entire planet can never been won.

Sanctions also would not work. Europe depends on Russian gas and oil so sanction would ultimately hurt Europe more then Russia. The United State are also incapable of doing anything because Russia has huge investments in the US economy and if withdrawn could worsen the US economic situation. But I don't think Russia is interested in worsening the relationship with everyone (because nobody is going to win that way, there will be only loss) but everyone is going to have take Russia seriously from now on.

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CommentsReply:
Aug 17 2008 02:22 am

I hope, the conflict will be resolved. But, Gergia eventually will have to let Abchazia and Osetia to be more or less independent. Situation with Kosovo gave example that it can be done, and the World community is not preserving the countries territorial inegrity is selective cases.

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CommentsReply:
Aug 18 2008 05:17 am

Right. The situation is similar to what happened in Yugoslavia. There were ethnic cleansing, the US intervened which led to the break up of Yugoslavia. Then many countries supported Kosovo's independence from Serbia. Thus the precedent was set.
Now the situation is similar, however Russia is protecting its citizens in South Ossetia.

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CommentsReply:
Aug 19 2008 02:08 am

Russian protection of its citizens is also controversial issue. Russia offered citizenship to everybody in another country. Now, anything happen - it can claim that it protecting its citizens.
Let's take another hypotetical example. Iran is giving citizenship to all Kurds in Turkey. Next, following the regular military ride against Kurds by Turkish army or police, Iran is entering Turkish Kurdistan with excuse that Turkey is endanering Iranian citizens. Quite a plan!

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CommentsReply:
Aug 22 2008 02:45 am

also right, but US set the precedent of defending its citizen all over the world. Also, Israel declared that all Jews are Israeli citizens, no matter where they live. It's a justification to intervene if or when needed.

Regarding Iran it all depends on the set goals. If Iran has something to gain from invading or supporting Kurds in Turkey I think they can do that. The precedent of defending citizens has been set, how it is used is another matter.

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CommentsReply:
Aug 22 2008 03:24 am

Agree, there are some precendents in the World history already. Greece is giving citizenship to all Russia-born Greeks, and Israel is offering unconditional citizenship to all people with Jewish grands or parents. However, it is not the same. If Israel would offer citizenship to all christians in Lebanon and would use that excuse to save them from Hezbollah, it would be similar, but it is not the case. Similarly, Greece is not trying to regain its historical territories from Turkey, or not trying to attach some Crimea territories in Ukraine, where there is still significant Greek population.

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CommentsReply:
Aug 22 2008 04:16 am

Actually Greece are trying to get Turkey to leave Cyprus. Turkey has occupied half if it. And Greece cannot forcefully make Turkey leave, because Turkey is more powerful.

I don't think Russia is trying to regain/annex Georgian territory. Moreover the people who live in South Ossetia and Abkhazia were Soviet citizen and after the collapse they didn't want to be a part of Georgia.

I think giving South Ossetians and Abkhanians Russian passports were supposed to deter Georgia from attacking. Didn't work though. I also think Russia's actions would have been the same even if South Ossetians didn't have Russian passports.

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