RUSSIA’S military announced plans yesterday to station about 7,600 troops in Georgia’s separatist regions, a sharp increase on the numbers deployed before Moscow sent in troops last month.

RUSSIA moved to ease tensions with the west ahead of an EU emergency summit on the Georgia conflict, as Britain pushed yesterday for a “root-and-branch” review of the bloc’s relations with Moscow.

Separatist authorities in Georgia’s breakaway province of Abkhazia have declared military mobilisation.

Russia expanded its bombing blitz today against Georgia, targeting the country’s capital for the first time.

More than 30 Olympic athletes from Georgia are anxiously following the news of the violence in the breakaway region of their country, following the bombardment by Russian tanks, planes and artillery.

The capital of Georgia’s separatist region of South Ossetia came under heavy fire early today, just hours after Georgia’s president declared a unilateral ceasefire.

GEORGIA has called on the United Nations to send more observers to the separatist Georgian region of Abkhazia to check on the increase in Russian troops there, a parliamentary spokesman said on Saturday.

A Russian Foreign Ministry official warned today that Russia would have to use “military methods” to defend its countrymen if fighting erupts in two breakaway regions of Georgia, news agencies reported.

Russia’s top military officer today accused Georgia of fabricating a report of a Russian missile attack, as Moscow and its small Westward-looking neighbour continued angry bickering over an incident that heightened bilateral tensions.

The US has objected to a proposed Russian statement expressing grave concern at Georgia’s recent provocative actions, including the arrest of four Russian officers for alleged spying and deploying troops in part of the breakaway province of Abkhazia.

A health official said today that a local laboratory confirmed bird flu in dead fowl in Georgia.

European Union defence ministers open talks today aiming to halve the time it takes to send elite battlegroups to international troublespots.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell said yesterday no support should be given to Georgia's restive regions, a day after Georgia accused Russia of meddling in its domestic affairs.

Two members of a British based humanitarian group that removes land mines were robbed of more than £60,000 (€87,000) in the former Soviet republic of Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia province.