Russia pledges to withdraw troops tomorrow

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev announced that Russian troops will begin pulling back from Georgia tomorrow as Western leaders pushed for a swift withdrawal from positions Russia has held for days of warfare in its small southern neighbour.

Mr Medvedev suggested that Russian forces could remain in separatist South Ossetia, the focus of the conflict. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said his country will not give up that breakaway region or another separatist province, Abkhazia.