Georgia, Russia Tensions Flare Ahead Of War Anniversary
South Ossetia has accused Georgian forces of firing at it while Russia has warned Tbilisi it's ready to use force to defend civilians. The renewed tensions come just one week ahead of the first anniversary of the war. READ MORE
The Russian Military Concentration In The Caucasus
After visiting breakaway South Ossetia on July 13 and Russian troops based deep inside Georgia, President Dmitry Medvedev traveled to Novorossiysk to inspect Russia's main deepwater Black Sea port and nearby military facilities. Medvedev visited the Black Sea fleet flagship cruiser Moskva, attended a meeting of the military top brass and inspected troops in the 7th airborne (VDV) division based in Novorossiysk. READ MORE
Georgia: Russian Border Guards In Abkhazia, South Ossetia Pose New Challenge For Tbilisi
Georgia is facing a new challenge in its quest to reclaim the separatist territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia: the planned introduction of hundreds of Russian border guards.
The new border guards - deployed under an agreement signed by Moscow, Sukhumi and Tskhinvali on April 30 - give Russian border guards the right to patrol the frontier dividing the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia from Georgian-controlled territory. READ MORE