Russian tank in Georgia
Photo: Reuters
Russian military seen going deeper into Georgia
Georgian officials say Russian forces bombed, looted Gori in clear violation of French-brokered truce; several dozen Russian military trucks, armored vehicles seen heading in Tbilisi's direction
Russian forces bombed and looted the crossroads city of Gori on Wednesday in a clear violation of a French-brokered truce, Georgian officials said. A convoy later was seen rolling out of Gori and deeper into Georgia.
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Several dozens of Russian military trucks and armored vehicles sped out of Gori and were seen heading in the direction of the Georgian capital, deeper into Georgia in violation of the truce.
"Russia has treacherously broken its word," Georgia's Security Council chief Alexander Lomaia said Wednesday in Tbilisi, the capital.
The truce requires Russia to withdraw its troops to the positions they held before the conflict over the breakaway province of South Ossetia broke out last week. Lomaia accused the Russian military of bombing Gori, a city that sits on the main highway between South Ossetia and Tbilisi to the southeast, before sending in paramilitary troops to loot the town.
Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili said the government was aware of the move and have reported the incident to foreign diplomats.
Tbilisi street Wednesday morning (Photo: Zur Sheizaf)
Outside Gori, Russian soldiers waved to journalists. One shouted to a photographer taking pictures of the convoy, saying: "Come with us, beauty! We're going to Tbilisi."
Tbilisi is about a 1.5-hour drive from Gori. In Moscow, a Russian government official denied that any Russian troops were in Gori or advancing toward the Georgian capital. He said he was not authorized to give his name.
But reporters from The Associated Press and other media saw Russian troops going in and out of Gori. Denmark's TV2 channel said its reporter counted 16 to 18 Russian tanks manned with armed soldiers heading toward Gori as he left the city. TV2 showed a footage of the tanks.
The reporter said he spoke with passengers on a bus who claimed they were held up by armed men in civilian clothes who stole their personal goods and seized one woman.
