EQUIPO NIZKOR |
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13Aug08
Russian Action Also Saved Abkhazia
The Georgian forces in the Kodori Gorge area of Abkhazia are laying down arms and surrendering. The Russian peace-keepers in the area go on with their regular duties. A medical unit in the regional city Sukhumi is taking in casualties.
Under 1990s mandates from the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, only Russian peace-keepers were allowed to patrol the Kodori Gorge after the end of Abkhazia’s first separation conflict in 1992. The presence of a brigade and a half of Georgian forces was absolutely illegal.
The General showed a captured Georgian map with markings of how Georgian forces would have taken control of the rest of Abkhazia. Prompt action by Russia and Abkhazia has sent this plan to the ditch. Hotheads in Tbilisi now have to draw conclusions from the developments.
General Nogovitsin put the Russian military losses in the latest Caucasus conflict at 74 killed, 171 wounded and 19 missing in action.
The Georgian side will sooner or later have to admit to sustaining much greater war losses. Concealment would amount to a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
[Source: The Voice of Russia, Moscow, 13Aug08]
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