Some Russian Troops Finally Begin Pullback, Saving Face For Medvedev
Georgians confront Russian soldiers at a check-point demanding their ouster as a Russian armoured personnel carrier passes on the road from Tbilisi to Gori near Kaspi August 21, 2008.
IGOETI, Georgia (AP) - Russian forces pulled out of positions deep inside Georgia on Friday, two weeks after thousands of troops roared into the small Caucasian nation aboard hundreds of armored vehicles.
The movements came after Russia’s defense minister said President Dmitry Medvedev had ordered a pullback and promised that Russian forces would withdraw to separatist regions and surrounding security zones by the day’s end.
An armored column was seen moving away from a military base in western Georgia toward the border with the breakaway region of Abkhazia in the late afternoon.
Further east, Russian forces abandoned a checkpoint and roadside position at the village of Igoeti, just 30 miles from the Tbilisi and the closest Russian troops had come to the capital for any length of time.
Georgia’s security council chief, Alexander Lomaia, said Russian forces also were leaving the strategic central city of Gori, which straddles the country’s main east-west highway south of South Ossetia, the separatist region at the heart of this month’s war between Russia and Georgia.
In the west, a column of 83 Russia tanks, APCs and trucks hauling artillery rolled away from the Senaki military base and toward the border with Abkhazia. Georgian police said the vehicles came from the base.
Medvedev promised this week that his forces would pull back to separatist regions and surrounding security zones by Friday, and his defense minister emphasize late Thursday that the pullback would be complete by the end of the day. Today’s movement afforded Medvedev to at least appear to speak with some authority in a country which is perceived to still be run with an iron fist by Vladimir Putin, especially in light of the war. Putin harbors a strong personal antipathy toward Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.
A top general said the bulk of Russian forces might not be out of Georgia for another 10 days, however.
There were still questions about the extent of the pullout. It is impossible to yet tell how cosmetic the Russian movements may be.
Outside Poti, Russian troops were seen digging large trenches Friday morning near a bridge that provides the only access to the city. Five trucks, several armored personnel carriers and a helicopter were parked nearby. Another Russian position was seen in a wooded area outside the city.
It was not immediately clear whether those troops remained later in the day.
Poti is far from any zone that Russian troops could be allowed to be in under the cease-fire.
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August 22nd, 2008 at 6:33 amGeorgian civilians wave their flag in the face of the retreating Russians. Fuck, what a humiliation for Poot and for Russia.
August 22nd, 2008 at 6:43 amI don’t know why you would think this is a humiliation for Russia.
They showed that they have the military might to crush Georgia with little resistance. The Georgians had to sit there and watch while Russia went wherever they wanted. They could easily occupied the entire country.
What else did they show? That all we’ll do it talk, talk, talk while our Georgian allies are dying.
August 22nd, 2008 at 7:38 am[[I don’t know why you would think this is a humiliation for Russia.]]
Because despite massivley outgunning tiny Georgia they failed to capture the country and are now retreating with their tail between their legs. Also their airforce was shot out of the sky with antiquated soviet air defenses and they will soon be on the recieving end of a Georgian guerilla war. Die Russian bitches.
August 22nd, 2008 at 7:44 amOh yeah, and how humiliating for flag waving Georgian civilians to be chasing away the Russian army.
August 22nd, 2008 at 7:45 amDeathstar, I think you’re spinning this way too positively. It’s good they’re leaving, but look at the damage they were able to do.
They aren’t being chased out at all; they’re leaving because they decided to.
While it would cost Russia a lot in Western goodwill, there is absolutely no question that, if Putin really wanted to, he could probably order and invasion and occupation of every single former SSR country today, and probably get away with it.
The Europeans are nothing but sniveling, gutless cowards, and America is already too occupied with Afghanistan and Iraq to do anything but symbolic gestures and blathering; and Putin knows that very well.
August 22nd, 2008 at 8:35 amArmy and Marines may be a little busy. Airforce and Navy are ready and able…and the toys, oh the toys…and Vladdy knows that very well too… Nyet, Nyet, Soviet
August 22nd, 2008 at 9:06 am[[Deathstar, I think you’re spinning this way too positively.]]
They couldnt even make it Tiblisi. They were vanquished and are now leaving having achieved nothing except the lose of valuable aircraft and aircrews with a hostile anti-Russian government in power. Reap the whirlwind russian cowards.
August 22nd, 2008 at 10:43 am