Georgia's Foreign Ministry declared that the country was "in a state of war" and accused Russia of beginning a "massive military aggression." The Georgian parliament approved a state of martial law, mobilizing reservists and ordering government authorities to work round-the-clock.
Map of Georgia with data on the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has declared a "state of war" as his troops battled it out with Russian forces over the breakaway province of South Ossetia. [Agencies] |
Georgia President Mikhail Saakashvili called it an "unprovoked brutal Russian invasion."
Saakashvili on Saturday proposed a ceasefire, but Russia said it wants Georgia to first pull its troops from South Ossetia and sign a pledge not to use force against the breakaway province.
Georgia, a US ally whose troops have been trained by American soldiers, launched the major offensive to regain control over South Ossetia overnight Friday. Heavy rocket and artillery fire and air strikes pounded the provincial capital, Tskhinvali.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, meeting Saturday with South Ossetia refugees who had fled across the border to the Russian city of Vladikavkaz, described Georgia's military actions as "complete genocide." Putin also said Georgia had lost the right to rule the breakaway province.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Georgia brought the airstrikes upon itself by bombing civilians and Russian peacekeepers in South Ossetia.
Lavrov told reporters Saturday that some 1,500 people had been killed in South Ossetia since Friday, with the death toll rising.
"Whatever side is used to bomb civilians and the positions of peacekeepers, this side is not safe and they should know this," Lavrov said.
Georgia borders the Black Sea between Turkey and Russia and was ruled by Moscow for most of the two centuries preceding the breakup of the Soviet Union. Today, Russia has approximately 30 times more people than Georgia and 240 times the area.
Both South Ossetia and Abkhazia have run their own affairs without international recognition since splitting from Georgia in the early 1990s and have built up ties with Moscow. Russia has granted its passports to most of their residents.
Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev said that Moscow sent troops into South Ossetia to protect its peacekeepers and civilians on a mission to "enforce peace." He said that Russia would seek to bring the Georgian attackers to criminal responsibility.
Medvedev said he was ordering the military prosecutor to document crimes against civilians in South Ossetia.
The diplomatic standoff continued Saturday in the UN Security Council, which met for the third time since late Thursday night to try to help resolve the situation. Another meeting was scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
