Russia/Georgia Situation News & Updates

Originally posted by john124
And so many on ats are Russian propaganda parrots!!!

"Squawk!! Squawk!!"

What's that you say?? You believe the Russian's!!?

JOKERS!!![edit on 10-8-2009 by john124]

Are you goofing me or something? Maybe people believe the Russians because the Russians are doing the right thing, who are you to attack the way people think? Since when do you have a clue of what you speak of, armchair warrior?

If Georgia keeps pushing, then the exact same thing will happen again this year. The only difference is that Obama will possibly say "Enough, Suckassvili, you are no longer friendly to the United States of America and NATO" and allow Russia to do what needs to be done for the sake of peace.

How can you sit there and call Russia the aggressors when they are the only ones doing something to save these innocent people being shelled out of revenge? Maybe you feel comfortable with the blood of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis stained on your hands, but the rest of the world does not share such ideals of unnecessary bloodshed.

Originally posted by Vitchilo

EDIT: Uzbekistan and Russia locked in row over base

Uzbekistan and Russia are locked in their worst diplomatic crisis in nearly a decade over Moscow’s campaign to build a new Russian military base in the heart of Central Asia, analysts say.

Moscow has been recently been courting its former Soviet satellites in the region in an attempt to counter what it perceives as a growing US military presence in its traditional geo-strategic backyard.

But that effort ran into trouble last week when Uzbekistan, Central Asia’s most populous state, lashed out at plans by a Russia-dominated regional security organisation for a new base near its volatile border with Kyrgyzstan.

Uzbekistan blasted the deal, signed last month between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Kyrgyz counterpart Kurmanbek Bakiyev, saying it would destabilise the region, embolden extremists and lead to a military buildup.

Simple 'Stan' envy there.....Russia is simply giving more attention to to Kyrgyzstan than Uzbekistan, and Uzbekistan, who don't have the best of relations with Kyrgystan, are whinging about it, thinking Russia are picking sides.

Originally posted by Vitchilo
Some rumor from Georgia (they are crazy) : Russia may kill the president of S.Ossetia or Abkhazia & impute that to Georgia to start a war. (Now that's funny)

A rumour spread from Saakashvili's office, no doubt.

[edit on 10-8-2009 by Regensturm]

Kremlin prepares law on military missions abroad

President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday proposed legislation to give him the legal basis to send troops abroad to defend Russia's interests, the Kremlin said.
The new law would allow foreign deployments to defend a third country against aggression, to protect Russian citizens and military personnel and to fight naval piracy, according to the draft posted on the Kremlin's website.

And there's russians contractors in Iran working on Iran nuclear facilities... So if Israel bombs Iran and kill russian citizens by the dozen... Russia would be able to send troops in Iran to protect it from Israel...or even strike Israel.

EDIT: Probably not reliable info..
Bloggers say deployment of tanks to the Georgian border is being continued

"They will look to put the countries of Central Asia and the Caspian under full control. I don't know if all of the countries will have the Soviet anthem but it will be clear that all decisions will be taken in Moscow", said Saakashvili, stating that Putin is impressed with the idea of empire.

Opposition leaders will attend a National Security Council (NSC) meeting on Thursday to discuss the threat posed by Russia, the edition notes.

[edit on 10-8-2009 by Vitchilo]

Originally posted by john124
Yeah Russian's hold onto supposed information and expects us to believe their stories! Fools! And repetitive fools as well!

And so many on ats are Russian propaganda parrots!!!

"Squawk!! Squawk!!"

What's that you say?? You believe the Russian's!!?

JOKERS!!!

Russia was forced to wage an information war, because the Western media along with Western politicians started the propaganda war when they accused Russia of ivading Georgia and starting the August War. Bull**** spread by Western media at the start of the war dealt significant political and economic damage to Russia - and now even the EU admits that Georgia was the aggressor.


Lets rerun what happened on August 8th last year:

(Note that this is all well documented in ATS threads, the first of which was started by me):


Western media outlets briefly announce that Georgia commenced an operation to retake control of South Ossetia and is shelling the breakaway region. Suddenly after a few hours these news disappear.

Half a day later, Russian troops enter the area to stop the Georgian attack, and rescue the besieged Russian peacekeepers (who had a UN mandate to be there).

The Western media then literally explodes with headlines that "Russia launches an invasion into Georgia" and that poor Georgia is defending from invaders. Guess what - THEY SOMEHOW NEGLECT TO MENTION THAT GEORGIA STARTED THE WAR, AND KILLED DOZENS OF RUSSIAN PEACEKEEPERS IN A SURPRISE ATTACK.

And I am talking about supposedly reputable sources here - BBC, CNN, Reuters, etc. The same sources that a day earlier reported that Georgia started an artillery barrage of the area.




And it is not as if the Western media presented an unbiased view and alternative opinions. NO - virtually every single large media source in the West labeled Russia as the aggressor and threw their support behind Georgia. They completely ignored experts and witnesses who tried to correct their false and biased opinion. And their reporting went hand-in-hand with official announcement by the White House, which in turn was well known as Saakashvilli's puppeteer.

Why didn't any media outlet in the West question the official view? Why didn't anyone raise questions as to US's involvement in the conflict?

Because it was an organized propaganda war - that's why.




Russia was faced with a massive onslaught of highly negative reporting and resulting opinions. Georgia's own propaganda machine was in full swing as well - managing to fool much of the Western world with obvious bull****. And God knows the Western media is a very powerful tool. Especially in the US, it is a tool capable of convincing much of the population that a war like the one in Iraq was necessary.

So what in your opinion was Russia supposed to do? Endure the undeserved negative press and keep quiet, while its peacekeepers have shells raining down on them in the middle of the night? No - it replied with an information war of its own, meant primarily to dispell the trash coming from Georgian and Western media.




And here we are a year later - and EU admitted in its preliminary report on the August War, that Georgia was the aggressor. The news outlets of several large European countries became embarassed when the truth broke, and since then started reporting more or less both sides of the story, some even leaning towards Russian point of view.




So now I ask you - who was the one squawking? Call Russians parrots if it pleases you, but if there is a lesson to be learned from the propaganda surrounding this conflict is that the world (and ATS) is full of sheep. Not that there aren't exceptions of course - just as there are anywhere.

I don't mean to ruin anyone's confidence in the trusted shepherd that is the White House, and the US media which acts as its loud speaker.

A few Ukraine-Russia news...

Reuters: Russian president Medvedev accuses Ukraine of seeking to disrupt bilateral ties, including in energy sector.

Reuters: Russian president Medvedev says will delay sending new ambassador to Ukraine.

Reuters: Russia's Medvedev says Ukraine puts at risk safety of gas supplies to Europe.

EDIT: “Russian authorities have lost hope with Yushchenko”

[edit on 11-8-2009 by Vitchilo]

[edit on 11-8-2009 by SLAYER69]

Actual deaths...this could get bad fast...

Blasts in breakaway Abkhazia kill one, wound three

One person was killed and three others were wounded on Wednesday in two blasts in Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia, the Caucasus press news agency reported.

Earlier in the day, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin paid his first visit to Abkhazia since Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, another breakaway Georgian region, after a brief war with Georgia last August.

EDIT: Medvedev issues ultimatum to Ukraine leadership

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's president, yesterday waded into Ukraine's presidential elections with a call for a new leader to break with the "anti-Russian" policies of the incumbent and to co-operate with Moscow.

In an open letter to Viktor Yushchenko, neighbouring Ukraine's pro-western president, Mr Medvedev said he was postponing the dispatch of a new ambassador to Kiev until there was a change in relations.

Georgia condemns Putin visiting Abkhazia

[edit on 12-8-2009 by Vitchilo]

Surprise visit of Putin to Abkhazia, to promise massive military spending.

The Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Nalbandov said: “Unfortunately, this is yet another challenge with regard not only to Georgia but with regard to (the) entire international community that apparently shows that Russia completely neglects and ignores its international obligations.”

Source

Poking the Russian bear...

U.S. to Resume Training Georgian Troops

WASHINGTON — The United States is resuming a combat training mission in the former Soviet republic of Georgia to prepare its army for counterinsurgency operations in Afghanistan, despite the risks of angering Russia, senior Defense Department officials said Thursday.

The training effort is intended to prepare Georgian troops to fight at NATO standards alongside American and allied forces in Afghanistan, the Pentagon officials said.

Russian officials have been informed, American officials said. The training should not worry the Kremlin, they said, because it would not involve skills that would be useful against a large conventional force like Russia’s.

Yeah right...to prepare for afghanistan...

That is not their opinion when they were accusing Iran of arming Iraqi ' insurgents' . Why should the US be therefore worried of these small arms in the hands of the enemy when pitted against the 'large conventional military ' of US forces in Iraq . It is their one sided myopia and hypocrisy at work once again .

Caucasus: The War That Was, The World War That Might Have Been
Politicizing Ethnicity: US Plan to Repeat Yugoslav Scenario in Caucasus

Pentagon's Role In Last August's Caucasus War

Regarding neighboring Georgia, a German press report on the second day of last August's war between that nation and Russia stated that "US Special Forces troops, and later US Marines replacing them, have for the last half decade been systematically training selected Georgian units to NATO standards" and "First-line Georgian soldiers wear NATO uniforms, kevlar helmets and body armour matching US issue, and carry the US-manufactured M-16 automatic rifle...." [8]

On the first day of the war the Chairman of the Russia's State Duma Security Committee, Vladimir Vasilyev, denounced the fact that the Georgian President Saakashvili "undertook consistent steps to increase [Georgia's] military budget from $US 30 million to $US 1 billion - Georgia was preparing for a military action.” [9]

An Armenian news source the same day detailed that "Most of Georgia's officers were trained in the U.S. or Turkey. The country's military expenses increased by 30 times during past four years, making up 9-10 per cent of the GDP. The defense budget has reached $1 billion.

"U.S. military grants to Georgia total $40.6 million. NATO member states, including Turkey and Bulgaria, supplied Georgia with 175 tanks, 126 armored carriers, 67 artillery pieces, 4 warplanes, 12 helicopters, 8 ships and boats. 100 armored carriers, 14 jets (including 4 Mirazh-2000) fighters, 15 Black Hawk helicopters and 10 various ships are expected to be conveyed soon." [10]

"The procurement in recent years of new military hardware and modern weapons systems was indeed in line with Georgia's single-minded commitment to joining NATO." [11]

In addition to the country's standing army the Saakashvili regime has introduced a 100,000-troop reserve force, also trained in part by NATO.

In 2006 Saakashvili mandated a system of universal conscription in which "every man under 40 must pass military trainings" [12] and every citizen should “know to handle arms and if necessary should be ready to repel aggression.” [13]

Ten months later the government announced “a doctrine on total and unconditional defense” and that "service in the reserve troops would be compulsory for every male between the ages of 27 to 50." [14]

Matthew Bryza and his colleagues in the State Department and the Pentagon have served American and NATO interests in the South Caucasus and adjoining areas well over the past decade.

First US-Backed War In The South Caucasus: Adjaria

On August 10 Bryza, "who, as he himself put it, was a more frequent guest to Georgia than any other U.S. official," [15] was awarded the Order of the Golden Fleece by Georgia's Saakashvili in Tbilisi.

"Saakashvili thanked Bryza for assistance rendered in 2004 while solving problems in Adjaria." [16]. The allusion is to events early in that year when Saakashvili, flanked by then U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, was inaugurated president after the putsch that was called the Rose Revolution and introduced his party flag as that of the nation, which as British journalist John Laughlin remarked at the time had not been done since Hitler did the same with the swastika in 1933.

Less than two months later Saakashvili threatened to invade the Autonomous Republic of Adjaria (Adjara), which had been de facto an independent country, and to "shoot down my plane" as Adjarian president Aslan Abashidze reported.

An Agence France-Presse report in March of 2004 said, "The situation was made all the more explosive because Russia has a military base in Adjara....Saakashvili warned in televised comments that 'not a single tank can leave the territory of the base. Any movement of Russia's military equipment could provoke bloodshed.'" [17]

An all-out war was only avoided because Russia capitulated and even flew Abashidze to Moscow, after which it withdrew from the Adjarian base.

Bryza's assistance to the Saakashvili government has also extended to backing it in its armed conflicts with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which in the second case escalated into all-out war a year ago.

www.globalresearch.ca...

Sergei Shamba (Abkhazian Foreign Minister) : we do not trust the Americans


From the link:

In an interview to RIA Novosti, Abkhazian Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba discusses the role of the United States in the war in South Ossetia, the effectiveness of a European Union peacekeeping mission in Georgia, and whose laws Belarusian citizens should respect in Sukhumi.

Question: Last week, there were reports that American observers might join the EU mission in Georgia. EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby followed up by saying that a discussion could be held in the fall. What is your attitude to this idea?

Answer: Our attitude is distinctly negative. First, because the idea does not stem from the mission’s mandate worded in keeping with the agreements reached by the Russian and French presidents – the mandate provides for no American participation. Second, the question can be examined if there is a common wish to expand the mission, but we do not consider it advisable because we see no additional factor of stability in an American presence. On the contrary, we have always emphasized that the U.S. bears considerable responsibility for the events that took place in August 2008 in South Ossetia. Therefore, we do not trust the Americans. All these years the U.S. has been arming, equipping and training Georgian troops and continues to do so, again restoring military infrastructure, and again preparing the Georgian army for new acts of aggression. This sticks out like a sore thumb.

What were the American instructors training the Georgian army for here, on Abkhazia’s territory, at the upper end of the Kodori Gorge? For an attack on Abkhazia. We are perfectly aware that attempts to instill a new combative spirit in the Georgian army will create a new threat in the region. And we do not see the American side as a factor contributing to stability in the area. Therefore we are absolutely opposed to this idea, and will not let Americans in, at least on our territory.

What is more, we said straight away that attempts to include the Americans in the EU mission are also calling in question our participation in the five-country meeting to prevent and investigate incidents involving Abkhazia, Russia, Georgia, the EU and UN.

This idea also casts doubt over our role in the Geneva process. Besides, a recent decision extended the EU mission in Georgia in its former format for one more year and provided for no American presence.

Q: What do you think of the effectiveness of the EU mission in the region?

A: So far, we see no effectiveness in the moves taken by the European Union in Georgia. We have repeatedly stated that the EU does not react in any way to Georgia’s military build-up on the border and to its creation of new threats. So we do not consider the EU’s steps to be effective. But joint actions and complaints that can be voiced during five-party meetings may prove effective. Time will tell.

Q: How can one view recommendations by the Foreign Ministry of Belarus to its citizens to observe Georgian laws in Abkhazia and South Ossetia?

A: Unfortunately, the spokesman for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry has not been very correct and proper in his statement. Even Germany and Poland, which also made similar recommendations, did it in milder form – German diplomats did not recommend their citizens to visit Georgia after Abkhazia. The point is that the Belarusian diplomat’s statement was caused by circumstances in which the Georgian leadership placed Belarusian citizens, when it began detaining and arresting people because they had previously visited Abkhazia. Belarus had to warn its citizens of this danger, but did not do it tactfully enough.

There is already a statement by the foreign minister of Belarus, however, who said that the issue of recognizing Abkhazia is not off the agenda yet.

Q: Recently, Commander of Airborne Troops of Russia Vladimir Shamanov said that Russia would help Abkhazia and South Ossetia to set up small aviation units. What do you think of Tbilisi’s threats to go to the international court if Russian aircraft fly over Abkhazia and South Ossetia?

A: We do not generally heed such statements; they mean little to us. We are developing relations with Russia in the military, economic and other fields. As far as our security is concerned, we will do everything necessary for the safety of our country. We have concluded an agreement on the joint protection of the border. The border will have cutting edge technology. Before long we will sign an agreement on a military base and many other accords. In this sense, deployment of small aviation units in Abkhazia is of great interest to us.

The main thing is that we do not threaten anyone. There has not been a single act of aggression from us in the entire history of our relations with Georgia. Georgia, on the other hand, has committed four such acts against Abkhazia since the breakdown of the Soviet Union.

Abkhazia (and indeed South Ossetia) does not see the US as an impartial and neutral observer of the conflict last summer and the continuing dispute, with justifiable reason.


The US flew Georgian troops from Iraq to Georgia. The US trained and armed Georgia and continue to do so. Bush and Rice and now Biden have visited Georgia and complimented Saakashvili, but not recognised South Ossetia or Abkhazia, let alone visit them.


The US condemned Russia as the aggressor when they came to South Ossetia and Abkhazia's aid in the face of the Georgian onslaught last year.



The US, in a similar position to the Israel/Palestine situation, can simply not be called impartial when it arms and trains one side and does not even recognise the other.

Has a new green light from Washington been given to former Stalinist states to corner Russia? After all, the foreign advisor of Obama is Zbginiew Brezinski who HATES Russia with every cell of his body.

After Ukraine.... Czech Republic...

Czech Republic expels two Russian diplomats

No comments on why...

URGENT: Moscow reacts angrily to Czech expulsions

ASTRAKHAN, August 17 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian foreign minister has condemned the Czech Republic's decision to expel two Russian diplomats.

"This is yet another provocation," Sergei Lavrov said.

The CTK news agency reported earlier on Monday that the Czech Republic had expelled two Russian diplomats.

It identified one as a deputy military attache.

Abkhazia accuses Georgia of piracy, appeals to UN, EU

The Abkhazian president appealed to the UN Security Council and the European Union on Tuesday over the seizure by Georgia of a Turkish tanker carrying fuel to the former Georgian republic.

"On August 16, 2009, Georgian patrol officers seized a commercial vessel en route from Turkey to Abkhazia again. This was the third incident of Georgian piracy this year," Sergei Bagapsh said in a statement.

The Turkish Buket vessel was delivering over 3,000 metric tons of gasoline and 775 metric tons of diesel to Abkhazia, when the incident occurred. Tbilisi, which considers Abkhazia to be part of its own territory, seized the shipments as unauthorized and illegal.

Bagpash accused Georgian authorities of destabilizing the situation in the region and "using all mechanisms for putting political and economic pressure to bear on Abkhazia."

The Abkhaz leader requested the UN Security Council, the EU and French President Nicolas Sarkozy to make a proper assessment of Georgia's actions and assist in recovering the vessel seized by the Georgian patrol.

Bagapsh also threatened "appropriate measures" to protect commercial cargoes bound for Abkhazia in the future.

He also blamed Tbilisi for "numerous" terror attacks, with the latest one claiming two lives in the Abkhaz resort town of Gagry on August 12. The incident coincided with a visit to Abkhazia by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Next Wednesday, August 26, will mark the first anniversary of Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and another former Georgian republic, South Ossetia, as independent states. So far the only other country to have recognized the two republics is Nicaragua.

Georgia screwed with South Ossetia early august, now they are trying to provoke Abkhazia...

A blockade is in effect against Abkhazia..

GEORGIA SEIZES SHIPS

TBILISI - GEORGIA said Thursday it had seized two cargo ships visiting its rebel Abkhazia region this week, as it steps up efforts to enforce a naval blockade of the Moscow-backed breakaway province.

The detentions drew an angry response from Abkhazia's separatist leadership, which warned it could offer a 'proportional response' to protect cargo deliveries.

Besik Shengelia, the head of the coast guard department with Georgia's border police, told AFP the two ships had been seized in Georgia's territorial waters in the Black Sea on their way to or from Abkhazia.

The foreign minister of Abkhazia's separatist government, Sergei Shamba, told Russia's Interfax news agency that it would not tolerate continued interference with cargo deliveries to the region.

'We have warned Georgia that we can take a proportional response and act in the same way. We have the capabilities for that,' he said. 'Our patience is not infinite.... If effective measures are taken we will wait. If not, we reserve the right to act accordingly.'

This could be war...and soon. Georgia is definetly trying to make Russia/Abkhazia/South Ossetia attack them first FOR REAL this time.


EDIT: Illegal to enter Abkhazia and South Ossetia for Ukrainians?
Ukraine advises its Citizens to avoid Visiting Abkhazia and So Called South Ossetia

Foreign Ministry explains to the citizens of Ukraine that entry to the conflict zones from any other direction is punished by criminal code.

Confirmation of earlier statements by Abkhazia...
Abkhazia Warns Georgia Over Vessel Seizures

Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia accused Tbilisi on Thursday of trying to suffocate the Black Sea territory and threatened a “proportionate response” to a Georgian blockade in which two ships have been seized this week.

IMO Blockade = War. So technically...Georgia is attacking Abkhazia RIGHT NOW.

[edit on 20-8-2009 by Vitchilo]

UPDATE: Now Abkhazia is threatenning force, plain and simple.

Abkhazia, the breakaway region of Georgia, threatened to use force to protect its seaborne trade on Thursday after Georgian coastguards arrested a vessel bound for Sukhumi, Abkhazia’s seaside capital, in the second case of its kind this week.

Is Georgia breaking the treaty they signed with both provinces?

And Georgia is really looking for trouble since South Ossetia really wanted to be with Russia but Abkhazia wanted to be more independant and have good relations with everyone.... Now Georgia is screwing with them...

Anyone capturing a boat from another nation would be declared war upon.

[edit on 20-8-2009 by Vitchilo]

This is the third tanker taken by Georgia, looks like they trying to make Abkhazia run out of fuel,
Now the question is why?

Abkhazia runs out of oil reserves 19.08.09 11:38
Georgia`s breakaway Abkhazia is facing oil crisis. Local television reports that the region
is running out of its gas reserves. According to the separatist minister of economics,
they have only two day reserve of fuel. Minister Kristina Ozgan says that the Abkhazian government now has to import fuel from Russia via land

rustavi2.com...

reply to post by freemindmine


Force them to attack? I mean they can't live with a blockade on them forever. A blockade IS AN ACT OF WAR. Saakasvilli knows this. He's looking for trouble.

Also, many attacks rock Grozny. 5 terrorist attacks today... coincidence?

Also today, Chechen rebels claim responsability for the DAM disaster which killed 70 people.

They are trying to provoke Russia on all fronts.

[edit on 21-8-2009 by Vitchilo]

Originally posted by Vitchilo
reply to post by freemindmine

 

Force them to attack? I mean they can't live with a blockade on them forever. A blockade IS AN ACT OF WAR. Saakasvilli knows this. He's looking for trouble.

Also, many attacks rock Grozny. 5 terrorist attacks today... coincidence?

Also today, Chechen rebels claim responsability for the DAM disaster which killed 70 people.

They are trying to provoke Russia on all fronts.

[edit on 21-8-2009 by Vitchilo]

Yea I seen all that and you seem right, I was thinking along the same lines, they all seem to be poking Russia from all angles and there was the ship that was hijacked too.

S.Ossetia wants to join Russia-Belarus union - leader

Georgia Defense Minister: U.S. training could target Russia

Training the U.S. military is giving Georgian soldiers headed to Afghanistan include skills that could be used in any new outbreak of fighting between Georgia and Russia.

His comments could put the United States in an awkward position with Russia, which has strongly spoken against any U.S. military assistance to Georgia. Sikharulidze was meeting with U.S. Marine commandant Gen. James Conway to discuss the training program that begins Sept. 1.

War before Sept 1?

And the whole Georgia thing is connected with Iran and Israel... if the US starts arming Georgia again, Russia will give Iran good weaponry and the S-300.

EDIT : Turk tanker operator says Abkhazia risks too high

ISTANBUL/TBILISI, Aug 21 (Reuters) - The Turkish operator of a tanker that was seized by Georgian authorities for delivering fuel to breakaway Abkhazia said on Friday he had given up the idea of sending any further supplies to the Black Sea territory.

Georgia has passed legislation that forbids commercial traffic heading to Abkhazia in an attempt to isolate the territory, which was recognised by Moscow as independent after a five-day war between Georgia and Russia last August.

[edit on 21-8-2009 by Vitchilo]