Russian-backed paramilitaries are “ethnically cleansing” villages on Georgian
soil, refugees and officials told The Times yesterday.
South Ossetian militiamen have torched houses, beaten elderly people and even
murdered civilians in the lawless buffer zone set up by the Russian Army
just north of Gori. The violence, close to the border with the breakaway
republic recognised by Russia this week as independent, has prompted a new
wave of refugees into Gori, 40 miles north of Tbilisi.
People who had started to return to their villages in the area are now fleeing
for a second time, joined by many elderly people who had refused to leave
their homes when the Russians invaded two weeks ago.
A straggle of refugees gathered yesterday at the feet of a giant statue of
Josef Stalin, Gori’s infamous native son, to register with the local
authorities and the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR, for emergency supplies and
accommodation in three tent cities being built near a football stadium.
“They had no uniform — I think they were Ossetians,” said Siyala Sereteli, 73,
who fled her village of Irganeteye the previous day when irregular forces
arrived. Weeping, she lifted her sleeve to show a deep bruise inflicted by a
blow from a rifle stock. “They took everything they wanted, even the fans.
They beat up a man using sticks and a chair and then threw him in the
river,” she said.
Other refugees were clustered in the shabby city hall, trying to glean news of
relatives still inside the buffer zone, which Russia said it had established
to prevent Georgian attacks on South Ossetians, many of whom hold Russian
passports. A look of deep shock froze the face of Oliko Gnolidze when she
managed to make contact on her mobile phone with an uncle, Nodari
Jashiashvili, in Tkviai, about a 20-minute drive away.
“There is panic here, they are burning houses,” came the crackly voice of her
uncle. “I don’t know what to do. Ossetians are in the village.” Ms Gnolidze,
38, said that in earlier conversations her uncle had told her that only a
few people remained in the village, with Ossetian irregulars looting under
the noses of Russian troops, described by Moscow as “peacekeepers”. She said
the Russians had forced her uncle to cook a meal for them, after which he
had fled and hidden in nearby woods.
Shorta Kharadze, a 45-year-old lorry driver, returned to Gori from Tbilisi,
where he had sheltered during the fighting, after his mother’s neighbours
from the village of Megheverizkevi told him that she had been murdered by
South Ossetian militiamen.
Looking gaunt, Mr Kharadze said the neighbours had telephoned him to say that
two men in uniform had come to the home of his 77-year-old mother, Oliya,
and demanded to know why she hadn’t left the village. She had been wounded
in the arm during the fighting in the area but had refused to leave.
“They beat her with an axe handle. There’s a pond in our yard — she fell near
it and they pushed her in. I don’t know if she was still alive when they
pushed her in or if she drowned,” Mr Kharadze said.
“It’s like ethnic cleansing, genocide,” said Koba Tlashadze, a council
official in Gori, which was itself briefly occupied by Russian forces before
last week’s ceasefire. “It’s a special operation codenamed Clean Field,
because they are emptying the villages.”
The UNHCR has voiced its concern about reports of “new forcible displacement
caused by marauding militias north of Gori near the boundary with South
Ossetia”. It said as many as 400 displaced people had gathered on Gori’s
square on Tuesday “after being forced to flee their villages by marauders
operating in the so-called buffer zone established along the boundary with
South Ossetia”.
Alessandra Morelli, a UNHCR co-ordinator in Gori, said that confirming the
stories was impossible because Russian checkpoints had sealed off the buffer
zone.
Farther west, in Borjomi, Georgia’s Environment Minister accused Russia of
having deliberately started extensive forest fires in the country’s main
natural park by firing incendiary flares into tinder-dry mountains. After a
helicopter inspection of the still-smouldering area, Irakli Ghvaladze said
an investigation was being set up into Russian strikes on the park — far
from military operations — for almost a week during the conflict. “We have
begun to investigate this ecocide,” he said. The fires had destroyed
hundreds of hectares of forest, with fire-fighting helicopters unable to
operate for fear of being shot down. “Who knows why the Russians did this?
They destroy everything,” he said.
Why was Henry Kissinger seen in the ceremony of Olympic Games ? DID IT not coincide with the onset of the georgian barbarism? do you BELIEVE it was a mere coincidence? has he become inactive lately or does he continue to commit crimes against humanity with his ad"vices"?
sergios, athens of greece,
Russia controls large energy reserves & seems to think it can bully everyone but in its history it has struggled to feed its populace. In a time of food shortages worldwise, can Russia feed itself without imports. Perhaps we should all stop exporting food to Russian until they pull out of Georgia
Susan Kovbasyuk, Colchester, UK
"Restoring order and rebuilding country". Yes, USA destroied it and then restored Iraq again. Amazing!
Jackov, Nowosibirsk, RF
between five-hundred to five-hundred and fifty TONS of yellow cake uranium were found in IRAQ last month>>>
Let us invade Georgia for few years and we will also find tons of uranium there.
Zloy Tugarin, Moscow, Russia
Abdullah, London:
"Like it or not, the US are doing the same in Iraq."
You really have no clue, do you? The US has spent the last 5 years in Iraq fighting the looters and brigands, restoring order and rebuilding the country. You see, that's the difference between us and the Russians.
William, Midlothian, USA
Chris, Atlanta, USA - ....and how many have we killed in the name of democracy?
James, Syracuse, USA
The lack of a balance of power since the fall of the USSR needed to be redressed. If this incident does that it may yet turn out to be for the benefit of the world. China doesn't seem to want to fulfill the role of checking US/UK power so Russia will just have to fulfill its traditional role.
James, Syracuse,
The story indicates that there is ethnic cleansing, but does not indicate who is being cleaned out. Who is being chased out?
Jon, Charlotte, USA
To Tanya, We will see which country needs whom in the future. Russia does have petro-power, but will that last forever? I respect the Russian people, I just think Putin will be your leader for a very long time-whether you like it or not. Dictator come to mind?
Casey L. Brown-Myers, Lubbock, USA
Communist governments killed 100 million of their own citizens in the 20th century. Russia, under whatever system of government they currently have, will treat their neighbors no differently in the 21st century.
Chris, Atlanta, USA
mj iowa.
the georgian army has been routed in a matter of days and effectively ran away, you cant expect a bunch of farmers with bolt action rifles to put up any form of meaningful defense. it would be like your survivalist nuts trying to fight the US army.
will, grimsby, uk
I'd like you to distinguish the Russian peacekeepers from the embittered Ossetian militiamen who lost their families in bombings.
Sure thing looters shoul be put on trial. And Russian troops should have stayed there a little longer to prevent this. There are only 500 left for the whole Ossetia.
Winston, Novosibirsk, Russia
Search for "Michael Totten" and his "Russia in Georgia" coverage. He is there on the ground with a great story of how this all began -- historically and recently.
Bob Giramma, San Diego, United States
The Russians are following US and Nato example in Kosovo - helping the muslim Albanians to chase out the Christian Serbs from Kosovo.
Subramaniam, Paris,
After the World War-2 USA bombed:
1 China (1945)2 Korea (1950)
3 China (1950)4 Guatemala (1954)
5 Indonesia (1958)6 Cuba (1959-1960)
7 Guatemala (1960)8 Kongo (1964)
9 Laos (1964)10 Vietnam (1961)
11 Cambodia (1969)12 Guatemala (1967)
13 Granada (1983)14 Lebanon (1984)
15 Libya (1986)16 El Salvador (1980)
17 Nicaragua (1980s)18 Grenada (1983)
19 Panama (1989)20 Iraq (1991-1999)
21 Sudan (1998)22 Afghanistan (1998)
23 Yugoslavia (1999)24 Afghanistan (2001)
25 Iraq (2003)
denny, texas, usa
USA a world aggressor and not to it to specify to Russia as itself to conduct!
denny, texas, usa
surely people can see this for what it is
russia purely and simply flexing its muscles, seeing what it can get away with. people must be able to see the comparison with this action and that of the gemans going into the rhineland in 1936.
how can you keep blaming the US? are you insane?
will, grimsby, uk
Derek, Taunton, UK
because half the ukrainian forces are russians
Anthony L, Chelmsford, UK
Question: Iraq is Democratic country? Cus US saying Georgia is Democratic country )) xa xa
Andrey, Ukraine, Kiev
TO: Eugen Cherevko, Odesa, Ukraine
Russians, who you call looters, founded the city you leave in.
Vitaly, Moscow, Russia
Let me explain Nick from Rotherham's comment, 'useful idiots'. A term used by Stalin to describe those idiots in the West who believed any Russian lie and attacked their own government instead. Lots of 'useful idiots' on this page. Wake up dummies - Russia is on the march. Moldova and Ukraine next.
Riley, Kiev, Ukraine
To all the Russians posting here who say "Its not our fault, its a caucasian tradition" Well YOUR soldiers are taking the lead in many places, fully engaged in looting, murder etc. The Ossetians & Abkhaz follow kremlin orders. The Red Army was always a looting raping rabble, useful only en mass.
Andrew Webb, Tbilisi, Georgia
Can someone please direct me to any news stories regarding the Georgian action in Ossieta before Russia responded. Both sides of the story must be seen in order to reach a balanced view. The power of the media lies in not how it reports something, but whether to report it at all.
tim, swindon, uk
The S Ossetian militias are not operating independently! Russian troops set up a post outside Akhalgori, the militia move in behind them and ethnically cleanse, Russian helicopters fly shotgun overhead. Ditto Tkviavi, part of Georgia occupied by Russia and elsewhere. Russia is 100% the culprit here
royzie, London, UK
How convinient for USA :) – a war far away from own soil - can watch this “blockbuster” on TV while sitting at peaceful home and eating popcorn. Stupid Russians and Europeans will gnaw each while we are skimming the cream off, studying our own interests.
Alex, Moscow, Russia
Georgian statements - treated as cast iron, 100% solid fact.
Russians/Ossetians statements - treated as lies & propaganda.
I do so love the blinkered west. I'm not saying atrocities aren't happening, they are, on both sides. So please report the other side, instead of one-sided Georgian hearsay.
Matt, Birmingham, UK
Good idea of Georgia to start Military action in these provinces, yet still the anti Russian press here fails to lay any blame over the current situation at the feet of the Georgians!
The hypocricy of western governments sticks in the throat.
Peter , St Albans, England
dimitry
the western media will report people being run over by tanks, and pregnant women being murderd and people being burnt alive, if it actually happens. but we need evidence to believe these things, just cos putin or his media tell you it doesnt make it so.
will, grimsby, uk
Nik, Moscow/Sydney, Russia
No reasons??
what about destabilizing Georgia aiming to stop it's Euro-atlantic intigration?
Why Russian "peacekipers" are not protecting Georgian civilians with the SAME enthusiasm?
Why Russian "peacekipers" never stop the rebbels firing on our villages ??
Rezo, Tbilisi, Georgia
Dmitry, Moscow. The reason it isn't written about is because it didn't happen. The Georgians left S Ossetia three weeks ago.
David Leslie, Perth, Scotland
When USA invade Iraq, Afganistan, bomb Kosovo, then it is RIGHT?!
When Russia protects their citizens, it is WRONG!. Because the West hates to see Russia as a strong country. Whatever Russia does, if this does not agree with USA interests, Russia will be always Wrong.
Gail, Lancaster, UK
Russia really has blood on its hands now.
Robert C, London, UK
Maybe. But UK ans US are swimming in blood pools in Iraqi. Don't make me laugh... innocent Brit.
Andrey, London,
It is easy recognizable and dirty behaviour of Osetian paramilitaries and maraders under the protection of their russian masters that we can observe now in Georgia! Just the same way their, backed by Russian army, conducted ethnic cleansing against Ingushs in 1992 in Prigorodny district of N.Osetia.
Albert, Stockhlm, Sweden
To Ken, Duvall, US
Were you in Germany in 1944? Were you in Belorus in summer of 1941 also, when Nazi troops forced women, children and elderly into barns and burnt them alive to save munition. US needs a war on its soil to understand these issues.
Sergei, Moscow, Russia
Don's look for good guys and bad guys here. Blood revenge is a custom of all Caucasians. Many of the looters just lost their houses and loved ones when Georgia bombarded Tskinvali but your media preferred not to notice it. Of course Russian Army has to prevent it but it is not an easy task.
alex, Riga,
How swift people are to judge, based on filtered information from the West!
Does no one remember the propaganda campaign that took place to justify the bombing of Serbia over Kosovo atrocities, that were afterwards revealed to be concocted lies (the majority of reported cases, at least)?
Greg, Athens, Greece
Have you ever thoght how come that people having similar values all aroung the globe (I mean the real ones such as love, justice, humanism) look so diffirently at the same event? The answer is simple. It's media which makes our minds. Please be wiser and presume you are "not always" told the truth.
Alex, St. Petersburg, Russia
To Casey - Russia hardly needs WTO - we've got a lot who we can trade with, as for G-8 - well, next time before you are crying out for antiterrorists' joint ventures and plead for airwaves to your besiedged troops elsewhere - try to learn some russian language otherwise you might get just "unheard".
Tanya, Moscow, Russia
Why would Russians enter S Ossetia first? Georgians lost control over this territory long time ago and it was ruled by rebels (loyal to Moscow). The only reason for Russia to enter S Ossetia first could be to lodge an attack on Georgia to overthrow it regime. Who is brain washed then?
Nik, Moscow/Sydney, Russia
to Eugen Cherevko, Odesa, Ukraine - Krimea surely is a good present from a state-looter :))) Russia fought for Krimea (1853—1856) and Ukrain got for NOTHING!!!!! not saying about low prices for gas and that Ukraine stealed some gas from the pipe that was paid by European conties.
Olga, Siberia, Russia
Waht did you expect flowers?
B.Benzi, Cesena, Italy
The Nu-Soviets are just like the old Soviets. The Russians should be expelled from the G-8 and the 2014 olympics should stripped from them.
Casey, Lubbock, USA
To all those appeasers who have rabbited on about "a balanced Russian response" may you please now eat your words. The Russians are not just allowing, but are actually encouraging, ordering, and supervising ethnic cleansing and genocide. Look on the real face of the bear, it will come for you too
Andrew Webb, Tbilisi, Georgia
It's a barefaced lie. Whe are you so heavily biased and one-sided. Why don't you write about the ossetinians - children and elderly being smashed by georgian tanks and burnt alive in barns. Or pregnat women with their children cut out of their stomachs by the nazi georgian army?
Dmitry, Moscow,
When Saakashvili killed Ossetians, he (and his western friends) knew that that retaliation wouldn’t be delayed. I know ossetian men who lost wife and daughter (16 old) – georgians severed their heads from bodies. Now Georgians are crying?! They have to thank Saakashvili firstly.
Serg, Krasnodar,
Looks like the Russian peacekeepers are being just as effective as they were before August 7th. Of course there's looting and genocide going on, Ossetian's are now free to do as they wish since Russia stripped Georgia of any abilities to defend it's people and it's own territory. Shame on the West.
Evan, Columbia, SC, USA
South Ossetian militia, and civilians will be looking for revenge, its the way of the region. Slight one slight the family. You cannot tell me that the Georgians have not and are not doing it as well.
Russia challenge and the new government is to stop the revenge attacks.
Darren, London, UK
west,please pressure on Russia to protect our civilians,i'm not asking for military respone,but do something..
Why Russian "peacekipers" refusing to protect ethnic Georgians???
this is a Model of apartheid protection...
Rezo, Tbilisi, Georgia
Whoever admits RF has blood in its hands, must be coherent and say that USANATO is covered in blood too.
Let's be serious and objective about the whole situation.
EU must stay apart from the USANATO front if they want to remain independant+legal and be a reliable voice for the rest of the world.
Inaki, Madrid, Spain
Now i have a question, why dont you write about what georgians did with S.Osetian people? Or Iraq people or in any other conflic zone.Ask them, they will tell you million the same stories. It is a shame that people suffer because of geopolitic stuff.
Ilya, Moscow,
The method Russia seems to be using in gaining its objective of restoring the Soviet Union is to separate a piece from another country and then move in its „piecekeepers“ to keep that piece for itself, removing any inconvenient people in the process.
Sander, New Haven, US
Well...just when we thought it all might calm down...someone mentions a cold war and then there's some ethnic cleansing...
How do Cockroaches taste...anyone?
James, Oxford,
There is opinion of georgian side. I don`t believe it.
Taras, Poltava, Ukraine
This is our democracy. Before a investigation, the blame.
In Georgia, people just have information come from their government, so what the Georgia people are think about Russia?
Mark, London, Uk
ecocide, hearsay genocide and what not - anything Saakasvili can use in his propoganda. almost like the first few days of the war when he contradicted himself too many times to count. being a US educated wordsmith it is the one thing he is well trained to do.
chris, oxford, uk
Europe has not even done as much as sanction Russia. The only people willing to do anything at all is the Americans, and even they are doing little. With friends like Europe Georgia does not need enemies.
Nick Knight, Laytown, Ireland
Who will catch these looters? Russians? UN "Peacekeepers"? Somehow the Europeans in their guilded palaces from bygone empires will cluck on about what a shame people are dying, write worthless ceasefires and give themselves pats on the back. Then somehow writers to the Times will blame Bush.
William, Atlanta, USA
Russia as occupying force should be held accountable for all these atrocities. Russians are not any different from Janjawid militias, Khmer rouge or Bolsheviks, Soviets or ivan the Terrible Oprichniks. Read Sorkin's "Day of Oprichnik". It is scary, surreal but it is Russia today.
George, London, UK
When Russians troops visited Gori they found no Georgian police there They called Tbilisi asked them to send policemens-there were their own townspeople and DESERTERS looting shops and stealing the cars. Remember video with the west reporters under fire of georgian soldiers? The reason was their car
Alex, Perm, RF
Big bad bullies, beating up on the defenseless, the old, weak and homeless. Shame, shame shame. Sounds like the same Russian army in Germany in 1944.
Ken, Duvall, US
On the whole I think the Russian army has behaved pretty professionally - like ours does. The Russian army should put a stop to this disgraceful behaviour immediately. Those drunken thugs terrorising innocent people need to be prosecuted.
j holmes, london,
Looks like the Russian "peace keepers" have taken a page out of the United Nations peace keeping play book. I suppose it will be rather peacefull once one side or the other is completely wiped out. Peace is just another word, for no one left to kill.
Rob, Tacoma, U.S.
Ha! Finally we are seeing some real English propaganda. It took you a while but it's ok now.
Pera, Belgrade,
Georgia started this mess. Are they crazy? Do they think West should fight for them with Russia? Why did not they offer enough for Osetians to be part of Georgia? I mean goodwill, respect, the same rights.
Arthur, Philadelpia, USA
Does anyone heard about Kosovo ?
Why are Georgians waving European and American flags? They do not belong to EU or US.
Besides, US, has no moral authority since they are already "liberating" IRAK. Or this is not the same?
JoseBelgica, Brussels, Belgium
The manner with which Russia has acted in this matter removes any credibility they had before. They have not introduced law and order to this relatively small zone inhabited mostly by people given Russian passports, i.e. Russian friendlies.
The world is no doubt about Russia, sadly.
Jack Sprat, Bristol, UK
Nick Beard, Well said! I too monitor these forums to see the most blatant Russian or foreign actions being blamed on America because it's convenient to blame somebody else. I am so sick of the overwhelming Anti-Americanism on these forums. Also beware of Russians posting here claiming to be from UK
Chris, NYC/Leeds, USA/UK
Nic, Moscow: They did. and the number killed, according to the Red Cross (who have no axe to grind) was 45! NOT 2,000 as the liar Putin said, and as all the NASHI and Molodaya Gvardia commissar posters from Russia have been ordered to repeat endlessly on comment boards here and on the BBC website.
Ben, Moscow, Russia
what a hysteria. Bad russia VS good west. The west is responsible for 99.9% of todays wars crimes Iraq and elsewhere. Destroyed nations. Supported invation of Turkey to Cyprus. They have blood in their hands. Those stupid enouphg who fall into West's propaganda be ready for nuke war if you are brave
kyri, London, uk
We know now from an analysis of the timeline of the invasion that Russian tanks, about 150, went through the Roki tunnel BEFORE the Russians instigated the events in S. Ossetia that forced the Georgians to respond. Russia clearly planned this months in advance, any other story is Putin propaganda.
Kevin Finnerty, Atlanta, USA
Georgia's actions may seem misguided but the Russian repsonse has been utteryly unjustifiable. It was Russian planes which violated Georian territorial airspace first, Russian money which funded Ossetian militia& now Russian troops terrorising& murdering civilians long after a declared ceasefire.
Valerie, London, UK
David, your logic is faulty. One cannot compare Russia to the US in this situation as between five-hundred to five-hundred and fifty TONS of yellow cake uranium were found in IRAQ last month. It is interesting how little global coverage this got. This mean that IRAQ truly did pose a major threat.
Alexander, London, England
Pillage is an integral part of every war - the war by definition can not be peaceful.
But you should blame Georgian president for starting it, no some Russian soldiers who looted you. They defended people in SO, and marauding is just a side effect.
Iggy, London, UK
So now you report about suffering of Gergians, and I support you , as it is disgraceful that Russia allows this.
What I find equally disgraceful that Western Media did not report so graphically about the plight of S Ossetians when they were trapped in their houses and their city was shelled by Georgians and bombs were falling everywhere, and then some S Ossetians claimed that civialians were targeted and killed by the Georgian army.
Nik, Moscow/Sydney, Russia
"Americans were told killing 60 women and children in Afghanistan."
And the people of Georgia should suffer for it?
If you believe the US was illegal and unilateral in the Iraq or Afghanistan, then you have duty to object to Russia's unilateral violation of Georgian sovereignty.
David, Menlo Park, CA, USA
You Bush haters have lost your minds
Bush caused Katrina, NO a hurricane did
Bush caused global warming, No it's climate change
Bush caused 9/11, No OBL did
Bush raised my taxes, No he lowered them
Bush invaded Iraq, Yes to remove a dic- tater
Bush invaded Afghan, Yes to capture OBL
BLINDHATE
Tyler, Springfield, USA
It should be clear to the world that regardless of how this mess started, the Russians are obviously occupying and destroying portions of Georgia. The only real reason is retribution for not following Putin, he would destroy Medvedev if he crossed him. Putin plays a dangerous game.
David, North Carolina, US
Mr. Putin and Mr. Medvedev are totally unmature politicians when it comes to foreign affairs, everyone good politician can judge by observing their steps. they are not bad in administration skills among harmless russian folk. that is what make them to become such a fool. let them learn by PUNISHING.
Thiha, Rangoon, Burma
What a fool Shakashvili was in stirring up the Russians.
Derek, Taunton, UK
Why doesn't the Ukraine send forces to Georgia? If Georgia goes under, the Ukraine will be next on Russia's list. That much is obvious.
Derek, Taunton, UK
At least we can agree on something in this mess. Irregular forces can't be trusted and they almost always wind up doing things like this. If the Russians have any honor at all they must try to capture these militiamen. If they're really peacekeepers then they need to start keeping the peace.
Matt, Chicago, IL, USA
Eugen Cherevko, Odesa, Ukraine, was that Ukraine who gave krimea for nothing, tho fighting for it many decades with turkey in past? Or maybe that was Russia? If Russia, how can you call it a LOOTER?
Eugene, Moscow, RF
I think the world is again getting this wrong... They are actually "liberating" georgians, ummm... this time it is from... can't even remember but they'll think of something later I think.
Paul, Tartu,
This week, Americans were told killing 60 women and children in Afghanistan. Who will we blame for that? Russia?
Mark, London, UK
Regardless of political issues, looters from Ossetia should be put on trial.
Alexey, St-Petersburg, Russia
Some chance of that happening with your totalitarian political system. Russia really has blood on its hands now. Humanitarian intervention? Peacekeeping? Don't make me laugh.
Robert C, London, UK
The Bush Presidency is the cause for the new uprising of Russia. Putin, could see through Pres. Bush's naivety. Putin made himself seem to be a friend of the West while they were building up their military. Pres. Bush was trying to act like Pres. Reagan, Pres. Bush is not even close to Pres. Reagan.
Richard Wagner, Chino Hills, United States of America
Curios question: Do the Georgian people have the right to bear arms? I can't imagine that happening here in the U.S. (regardless of who started it) and the populace not fight, even if out gunned. Is this similar to what happened to the Jews under Nazi Germany?
M.J., Iowa, U.S.A.
Yes, Ruslan. Russia should be on its knees. Then world for some reason starts to trust them))) it's funny)))
vladimir, Minsk,
I trust more to Russians, they look for peace//
Brent, Bristol-London, UK
Like it or not, the US are doing the same in Iraq. puppet leaders and looting oil and oil revenues for so called payment for the war. why is the west suddenly the do gooders and russia the badies, both are the same as each other
Abdullah, london,
Alexey
That means that the whole infantry including ''peacekeepers'' that are and were deployed should be imprisoned, cos the whole crew was marauding around here and doing such things that brought back memories of the early centuries,i could with no seconds hesitation compare them to barbarians.
Nika Maglaperidze, Tbilisi, Georgia
Russians have tried for so long to present themselves as a civilized country. After the recent events in Caucasus they will need many years until the rest of the world would begin to trust them again.
Ruslan, London, UK
What's worst, Russia itself, always was, is, and will be THE STATE - LOOTER!!!
Europeans, alas, can't understand the fact!!!
Eugen Cherevko, Odesa, Ukraine
Of course, as with all other ills in the world, I presume we'll have the usual chorus of "useful idiots" on here soon, blaming America for this?
Nick Beard, Rotherham, UK
There are always people who will use war for personal advantage. Death to looters and killers of civilians. S. Ossetia and Russa commanders-in-chief should order troops to capture looters and bring them to trial.
Dmitriy, Philadelphia, US
Regardless of political issues, looters from Ossetia should be put on trial.
Alexey, St-Petersburg, Russia