Refugees in Abkhazia
Photo: AFP
'Tourists will return.' Moti Blustein
Photo courtesy of Traveling with Moti
Tbilisi resident: Russia isolated us from the world
Former Jewish Agency employee says capital's residents disconnected from information sources, websites blocked. 'Russians trying to spread fear,' he says
"It is important that the world know what Russia is doing in Georgia; people are dying in Tbilisi too," a resident of the Georgian capital told Ynet Sunday evening amid the fighting that has raged between Russia and Georgia over the separatist Georgian province of South Ossetia.
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Vladimir Bedvanov, a former Jewish Agency worker, recounted Sunday's developments: "The Russian army attacked the capital this morning. We were woken up at 5 am by the aerial bombings that rocked Tbilisi. Contrary to most reports, they not only bombed the train station, but also struck civilian plants located in close proximity to residential complexes and a gas station in the city. They also bombarded the area near the airport."
According to Bedvanov, Russia has also disconnected the Georgian people from most of their information sources. "The Russian have blocked all of the Georgian websites; they are trying to spread fear," he said.
According to him, the residents of Georgia are receiving false reports from the Russian media, adding that one report showed Russian President Dmitry Medvedev saying the Russians want to destroy all of Georgia, and not just fight for South Ossetia.
Bedvanov said he feared for the Jews living in the Georgian city of Gori. "There is a Jewish community there and a synagogue; the Russians bombarded the city for three whole days," he said.
Lela, also of Tbilisi, told Ynet "the situation here is not good. The Russians came, and we heard that people have been injured and killed. Here in the capital we at least still have public transportation, so we can get around from place to place, but people are wondering what will happen next and are afraid to leave their homes.
"I didn't go to work either; the streets are empty. They bombed a large, newly-built factory near Tbilisi and we are afraid. All of the tourists have left."
Moti Blustein, 60, who has been taking Israelis on tours of the Caucasus region for the past seven years, told Ynet he was concerned over possible damage done to historic sites in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, but added that he was certain tourists would eventually return.
"Israelis have a warm place in their hearts for Georgia," he said, adding that the past year has seen a significant increase in tourism from Israel. "Some 200 Israeli travelers arrived each week on two separate flights," the tour guide noted.
