Russians dig in deeper, despite ceasefire promises

RUSSIAN forces yesterday built a sentry post just 48km from the Georgian capital, appearing to dig in to positions deep inside Georgia, despite pledges to pull back to areas mandated by a ceasefire signed by both countries.

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev says his troops will complete their pullback by tomorrow, but few signs of movement have been seen other than the departure of a small contingent that have held the strategically key city of Gori.

A convoy of flatbed trucks, carrying badly needed food aid to one of the areas most heavily hit by the fighting, was waved through a checkpoint by Russian soldiers. But conditions throughout much of the country remained tense.

Russian soldiers were setting up camp yesterday in at least three positions in west-central Georgia.

Further east, soldiers were building a sentry post of timber on a hill outside Igoeti, 48km from Tbilisi, and the closest point to the capital where Russian troops have maintained a significant presence.

A top Russian general, meanwhile, said Russia plans to construct a score of checkpoints to be manned by hundreds of soldiers in the so-called “security zone” around the border with South Ossetia.

And at a military training school in the mountain town of Sachkhere, a Georgian sentry said he feared Russian forces will make good on their threat to return after a confrontation the day before.

The sentry, who gave his name only as Corporal Vasily, said Russian tanks and heavy guns showed up at the base on Tuesday and demanded to be let in.

The Georgians refused and the Russians left after a 30-minute standoff, but vowed to return after blowing up facilities in the village of Osiauri, he said.

Georgia’s Defence Ministry said Russian soldiers destroyed military logistics facilities in Osiauri, but the claim could not immediately be confirmed.

“We’re trying not to provoke them; otherwise they’ll stay here for five to six months,” Vasily said.

He said the school itself had no heavy weapons or other significant strategic value, unlike the military base raided by Russians at Senaki, “where they even took the windows off the buildings”.

Russia sent its tanks and troops into Georgia after Georgia launched a heavy artillery barrage on August 7 on the separatist, pro-Russian province of South Ossetia.