Thread: Russian tanks head for South Ossetia....

Moscow has sent troops to Georgia’s breakaway republic to aid peacekeepers stationed there. Russia's Defense Ministry says the fighting in the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali continues. According to peacekeepers, the city is in ruins. South Ossetia is calling Georgia's attacks ‘genocide’ and ‘ethnic purges’.

Russian tanks are on their way to the capital of South Ossetia. It follows an appeal to Moscow for help after Georgian forces attacked the self-proclaimed republic. Tskhinvali has reportedly been completely destroyed by Georgian artillery fire. President Medvedev says Russia citizens in the area will be protected at all costs.
More than 10 Russian peacekeepers have been killed and about 30 wounded in clashes with Georgian forces, says Russia's Defence Ministry.

"It is my duty as president of the Russian Federation to protect the lives and dignity of Russian citizens, wherever they may be," Medvedev said on Friday.

14 hours ago: In this image, made from television, what Russian Channel 1 claims, is a convoy of Russian tanks moving towards Tskhinvali in the South Ossetian Georgian enclave on Friday, Aug. 8, 2008. Russia's Defense Ministry says it has sent reinforcements to its peacekeepers deployed to South Ossetia to help end bloodshed. Georgian officials confirmed that the Russian convoy had crossed the border and was advancing toward Tskhinvali. Georgia launched a massive attack Friday to regain control over South Ossetia, using heavy artillery, aircraft and armor. South Ossetian officials said at least 15 people were killed Friday and an unspecified number were wounded.

VIDEO -- RussiaToday : News : Russian forces enter South Ossetia



Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, currently on a visit to Beijing for the start of the Olympics, warned that Georgia's actions would meet a "response."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said there is evidence of ethnic cleansing in villages in South Ossetia. He also said the latest developments in South Ossetia cast doubts over Georgia's consistency as a state and a responsible member of the international community.

Meanwhile, the head of Georgia’s national Security Council said: "If Russia indeed sent its troops to Georgian territory, it means we are at war with Russia."

And according to the Georgian Interior Ministry, Russian aircraft have dropped two bombs near the Vaziani military airbase in a Tbilisi suburb. No injuries have been reported.

READ MORE -- RussiaToday : News : Russian forces enter South Ossetia

Medvedev vows punishment for killers of Russians in S.Ossetia

MOSCOW, August 8 (RIA Novosti) - President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday that Russia will punish those guilty of killing Russian nationals in South Ossetia, where Georgia has been waging an offensive to regain control of the breakaway region.
Speaking at an emergency Russian Security Council session focused on the violence, Medvedev said: "As president, I am obliged to protect the lives of our citizens wherever they may be. We will not let those guilty of killing our nationals evade punishment."

Medvedev said civilians are being killed in South Ossetia, most of whom have Russian citizenship. "Georgian troops in fact staged an act of aggression against Russian peacekeepers and civilians in South Ossetia last night."
Georgia launched a large-scale offensive against the breakaway province during the night, using tanks, combat aircraft, heavy artillery and infantry.
Separatist officials said the regional capital, Tskhinvali, has suffered major destruction, and reported 15 civilian deaths. Earlier reports also said several Russian peacekeepers were killed and wounded in a Georgian attack. Georgia said three troops were killed and about 17 wounded by separatist forces.

READ MORE -- RIA Novosti - Russia - Medvedev vows punishment for killers of Russians in S.Ossetia





President of Georgia Saakashvilli and Bush

A convenient excuse for Russia to invade Georgia thus preventing a NATO approved missile defense shield from being installed.

I think it's time to clean up stinking Georgia and stinking Washington DC...

Originally Posted by North Pole Resident

I think it's time to clean up stinking Georgia and stinking Washington DC...

Thank you for confirming that this is nothing more than typical Russian aggression by Putin and his lap dog Medvedev.

Russia just invaded, I will have video soon.

Georgia conflict escalates as Russian tanks enter South Ossetia

Ah shit.................

BBC NEWS | Video and Audio

BBC

Why the hell do we need a new thread? We already have a thread to discuss the conflict in South Ossetia. Are you going to put up a new one every few hours to keep us abreast of developments? And have you ever had a thought? Any at all? Or do you have difficulty with anything more complex than Ctrl+V?

Go on - just try it for once. Post something about the conflict, longer than a couple of lines, in your words. Explain to us your thoughts; elucidate us as to your positions on the matter. Nothing huge - just a couple of paragraphs; without any pictures or pasted articles. It's really not that hard.

Here; I'll start you off - watch this:

Is anyone else out there just utterly perplexed by ethnic conflict? I can come to a good theoretical understanding of it; and I can come up with what I see as sensible explanations for its prevalence based on evolutionary biology; but I can't put myself in the shoes of anyone involved and actually understand them. So Zurab's Ossetic and Mikhail's Georgian - who gives a crap?! For the name it says on your passport, or for the colour of a flag, you're willing to fight and die and kill for years and years and fucking years??! I don't get it.

Originally Posted by Bourne

A convenient excuse for Russia to invade Georgia thus preventing a NATO approved missile defense shield from being installed.

The first day of the Olympics as well. Also convenient.