Russian forces pulled back from positions inside Georgia today watched by European Union monitors and relieved locals.

Russian forces appear to have begun the final stage of a pull-out from positions inside Georgia near the breakaway South Ossetia region.

EUROPEAN Union monitors, including four Irish personnel, began patrolling Georgian territory yesterday under a France- brokered peace deal, and Russian troops allowed some monitors into a buffer zone around South Ossetia, despite insisting earlier they would be blocked.

Huge crowds surged into the streets of Georgia’s capital Tbilisi today to demonstrate against Russia.