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Russia says withdrawal has started, Georgia sees “no signs”

Article published on the 2008-08-18 Latest update 2008-08-18 17:21 TU

Russian forces in Georgia(Photo : Reuters/Gleb Garanich)

Russian forces in Georgia
(Photo : Reuters/Gleb Garanich)

Russian military officials say that their forces have started their withdrawal from Georgia, though Tbilisi disputes the claim, saying they’ve seen “no signs” of Russian troop movement.

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Russian forces remain in and around the Georgian capital and officials say they will keep some soldiers in a buffer zone around South Ossetia as peacekeepers.

The United States and the European Union have repeatedly urged Russia to withdraw its occupying forces in compliance with the six-point ceasefire signed Saturday.

France has said that it will call a special EU summit if Russia does not comply.

Russian President Dimitri Medvedev has remained truculent throughout the crisis, reiterating Monday his country’s commitment to defend its citizens.

“If anyone thinks that they can kill our citizens and escape unpunished, we will never allow this. If anyone tries this again, we will come out with a crushing response,” Medvedev told an audience in Kursk.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon reports that their intelligence services have evidence that Russia has moved short-range missile launchers for ballistic missiles into South Ossetia, ostensibly to protect the region from further aggression.

The deployment of a force of 100 unarmed European observers, initially foreseen during ceasefire negotiations, has been delayed, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Monday.

“The Russians are not inclined to accept” the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) observers, Kouchner reported.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili stayed on the offensive, accusing Russian forces of human rights abuses in Georgia, including “ethnic cleansing”.

The self-styled and internationally unrecognised President of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity said that he would not accept international peacekeepers in his territory and called for a permanent Russian military base to be constructed for its protection.