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Georgia says Russia massing troops in South Ossetia
Tbilisi (AFP) Oct 23, 2008 Georgia on Thursday said Russia was deploying an additional 2,000 troops in the breakaway region of South Ossetia and said it was "deeply concerned" by the move. "During the last two weeks, 2,000 additional Russian troops have been deployed in South Ossetia," interior ministry Spokesman Shota Utiashvili told AFP. "The total number of Russian troops in South Ossetia is now up to 7,000." Russia has previously said it would maintain a total of about 7,600 troops in South Ossetia and another rebel region, Abkhazia. Utiashvili also said that 40 armoured vehicles had been deployed in the disputed Akhalgori region of South Ossetia, which Tbilisi says Russian forces must withdraw from under a European Union-brokered ceasefire agreement. "We are deeply concerned over such provocative actions committed by the Russian Federation," he said. Officials in South Ossetia on Thursday denied Georgia's charges. "Russia is absolutely exactly adhering to its obligations as put forth in the resolution plan, and the number of Russian troops now in South Ossetia is no more than the number Russia officially reported for its peacekeepers," South Ossetia's deputy defense minister Ibragim Gasseyev said as quoted by the Interfax news agency. "All issues of further Russian military presence in South Ossetia are exclusively regulated by ties between Russia and South Ossetia," he added. Russia sent troops into Georgia on August 8 to repel a Georgian military attempt to retake the Moscow-backed rebel region of South Ossetia. Russian forces occupied swathes of the country, but later pulled back to within South Ossetia and Abkhazia under the ceasefire. Tbilisi insists they must still withdraw from a number of disputed areas to comply with the ceasefire, including Akhalgori, a predominantly ethnic Georgian district that was under Tbilisi's control before the war. Moscow has recognised both South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states, drawing condemnation from Tbilisi and Western powers. An EU mission is monitoring the ceasefire, patrolling around South Ossetia and Abkhazia, but Russia has said monitors will not be allowed inside the rebel regions. Related Links
US updating military plans after Georgia conflict: Mullen
Vilnius (AFP) Oct 22, 2008The United States is updating its plans to defend Baltic allies against attack, its military chief said Wednesday, calling Russia's invasion of Georgia a "stark reminder" of NATO's responsibilities. |
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