Troops move in to South Ossetia

This has been boiling up for some time. The Russians brutally put
down the (nearby) Chechens in the very south of Russia and have
always resented the breakaway states in the Caucusus (Georgia,
Azerbaijan, Armenia). They have encouraged (stirred up?) bits of
Georgia to break away and have supported the secessionists.

There are those in the EU who have contemplated letting Georgia join
the EU but Russia will react with its usual violence if it feels its
interests threatened. It interprets its “interests” in a very
expansive way! We could find ourselves dragged in by the EU.

Not nice at all!

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PRESS ASSOCIATION 8.8.08 at 1321 hrs
Troops move in to South Ossetia
2 hours ago

Russian and Georgian troops were heading towards a clash in the
breakaway province of South Ossetia.

Russian columns moved into the area hours after Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin warned Georgia it faced retaliation for its attacks
there.

Meanwhile Georgian troops launched a major military offensive to
regain control of the region.

Russian television showed a convoy of Russian tanks which it said was
expected to reach the provincial capital Tskhinvali in a few hours.

The move followed a series of statements by Russian leaders pledging
to protect Russian citizens in the region in the face of a massive
Georgian military attack on South Ossetia where most of the
population have Russian citizenship.

The fighting is the worst outbreak of hostilities since the province
won de-facto independence in a war that ended in 1992, raising fears
that war could once again erupt and draw in Russia, which has
peacekeepers in the region.

Some villagers were fleeing across the border to Russia.

Separatist officials in South Ossetia said 15 civilians had been
killed in fighting overnight. Georgian officials said seven civilians
were wounded in bombing raids by Russia.

Mr Putin, in Beijing to attend the Olympic opening ceremony, said an
unspecified number of the peacekeepers have been wounded.

The fighting was condemned around the world.