Posted on 08/09/2008 11:10:06 PM PDT by neverdem
GORI, Georgia — The conflict between Russia and the former Soviet republic of Georgia moved toward full-scale war on Saturday, as Russia sent warships to land ground troops in the disputed territory of Abkhazia and broadened its bombing campaign across Georgia.
The fighting that had sharply escalated when Georgian forces tried to retake the capital of South Ossetia, a pro-Russian region that won de facto autonomy from Georgia in the early 1990s, appeared to be developing into the worst clashes between Russia and a foreign military since the invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.
Shortly before dawn on Sunday, Georgia’s Interior Ministry said that Russian bombers had begun striking military facilities adjacent to the civilian airport at Tbilisi. The explosions could be heard in the city, said Shota Utiashvili, a ministry official.
He said that Russia had built up large forces in Abkhazia and South Ossetia — breakaway regions that have support from Moscow — including as many as 300 artillery pieces in South Ossetia alone. Russian forces, he said, were also poised just over the border at Larsi, a checkpoint, where they could open a third line of ground attack.
As Russia moved more forces into the region and continued aerial bombing, it appeared determined to occupy both South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Georgia’s president, Mikheil Saakashvili, said Russia’s ambitions were even more extensive. He declared that Georgia was in a state of war, and said in an interview that Russia was planning to seize ports and an oil pipeline and to overthrow his government.
Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin of Russia left the Olympics in China...
--snip--
Georgian officials said that Russian warplanes had attacked the major Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, operated by British Petroleum, that carries oil to the West from Asia, but that the pipeline had not been struck...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Slide Show - Russian Bombardment in Georgia
The bear is back. What happened to the wonders of soft power, the new world order and all that jazz?
Georgia has to settle here if they want to keep a part of their country intact.
Georgia is toast. Obama and the Dems will say this is the Soviets, errrrrr, Russia’s rightful claim.
Bush is responding impotently because he needs Russia to keep pressure on Iran and needs Russian oil to keep gas prices somewhat reasonable. Maybe that whole soft power / new world order stuff wasn't gobbledygook after all.
Here is the “official” Russian order of battle for North Caucasus:
North Caucasus Military District:
20th Guards Motor Rifle Division Volgograd
10th (Mountain) Separate Brigade of Special Designation Molkino, Krasnodar region
22nd Guards Separate Brigade of Special Designation Kovalevka, Aksai, Rostov Oblast
131st Motor Rifle Brigade Maykop
136th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade Dagestan
205th ‘Cossack’ Separate Motor Rifle Brigade Budyonnovsk, Stavropol Oblast
135th Separate Motor Rifle Regiment Prokhladny, Kabardino-Balkaria
Additionally following airborne units are staged within operational range:
7th Airborne Division - Novorossiysk
76th Air Assault Division - Pskov
98th Airborne Division - Ivanovo
106th Airborne Division - Tula
Airforce units in the north Caucasus district:
4th Army of VVS and PVO, North Caucasus Military District
1st Composite Air Division - Krasnodar
559th Bomber Aviation Regiment - Morozovsk - Su-24 in service;
959th Bomber Aviation Regiment - Yeysk - operates the Su-24 and L-39C;
368th Assault Aviation Regiment - Budyonnovsk - Su-25;
461st Assault Aviation Regiment - Krasnodar - Su-25;
960th Assault Aviation Regiment - Primorsko-Akhtarsk - Su-25;
51st Air Defence Corps - Rostov on Don
3rd Fighter Aviation Regiment - Krymskaya, (ex 562nd) - Su-27;
19th Fighter Aviation Regiment - Millerovo - MiG-29;
31st Fighter Aviation Regiment - Zernograd - MiG-29;
SAM Regiments
11th Independent Reconnaissance Air Regiment - Marinovka - operates the Su-24MR;
535th Independent Composite Air Regiment - Rostov on Don - Mi-8, An-12 and An-26 in service;
ex Army Aviation component
55th Independent Helicopter Regiment - Korenovsk - Mi-24, Mi-8, reported to be in line for Mi-28[14]
325th Independent Transport-Combat Helicopter Regiment - Yegorlyskaya - Mi-26, Mi-8;
487th Independent Helicopter Regiment for battle control- Budyonnovsk - Mi-8, Mi-24;
I think there are more smaller batallion sized units stationed there, but they are still marked in to their original districts. They could add up to a division.
I assume this is enough firepower to stop any military in the world...
And here are the airfileds Russia has in the area:
Airfield Military District ICAO Latitude Longitude
Akthubinsk North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Armavir North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Astrakhan - Ashchuluk North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Astrakhan - Privolzhskiy North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Budyonnovsk North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Kapustin Yar North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Korenovsk North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Kotelnikovo North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Krasnodar - Aviagorodok 5 North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Krymsk North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Kushchovskaya North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Marinovka North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Maykop North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Mikhaylovka - Lebyazhe North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Millerovo North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Morozovsk North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Mozdok North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Novocherkassk 14 North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Primorsko - Akhtarsk North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Rostov na Donu North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Sochi North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Stavropol North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Taganrog - Tsentralnyy North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Taganrog - Yuzhnyy North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Tikhoretsk North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Vladikavkaz North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Volgograd North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Yegorlykskaya North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Yeysk North-Caucasian .. .. .. ..
Zernograd North-Caucasian
Layered air defense umbrellas (even though this may seem as an overkill for Georgia) in the region is crucial for Russia to dissuade any direct NATO military action. The Russian Black Sea Fleet has blockaded all sea transport, and are possibly preparing to enforce an air blockade as well. Game Set Match.
Saakashvili can take to the cellars and forests and fight a guerilla war, or he can accept any offer Russia will propose. “Georgia” will not fight Russia, way too many leaders in Georgia were Soviets once, the FSB has way too many operatives, speculation is Saakashvili is naked and bugged even inside his own command structure at this point. The political opposition in Georgia is not coalescing around the flag, but instead wavering toward puppetting the Russian line, the situation is untenable for Saakashvili, he will surrender within 72 hours, if not 24.
Putin’s regime reminds everybody of Nazi Germany, lashing out and conquering its neighbors.
I wonder who’ll win in this lopsided contest?
I wonder indeed. Anyway, I dont see any point in getting involved in a war started by Sakashvili. Hes teargassed protestors in his own country, arrested opposition members, and when his popularity was in a nosedive, started a war to distract attention.
Great powers dont retreat forever, and it was a bit much to imagine Moscow would let its soldiers be killed without punishing retribution.
Sakashvili is on his way out. Either his voters will rid his country of him, or a someone is going to give him a Polonium meal.
I thought President thought Putin was a good guy. What is up with this? Were we kidding ourselves or what? Sometimes it’s just easier to play nice in the short run, but it seems to end up costing more in the long run. This is a good life lesson to all of us. Don’t kiss up to people like Putin, not EVER!!!!
Ya I hope Ivan keeps pressure on Tehran they seem like they are about to crack any minute now.
RussianToday just said that there are some reports that the Roki tunnel has been collapsed and blown up. Of course then they reported that the Russian Army has said it was false.
Russian TV reporting that the Russian blockade is in place.
And yes ... everyone take this with a grain of salt as it is RussiaToday.
right grain of salt but still...whoa
Talking about how useless the UN is.
Yes, what was Georgia thinking when they moved troops into South Osesstia?
If it is, thats actually bad news for the russians because that means they can’t move anymore armor in and what they currently have in Georgia can’t get back. That tunnel is the only way north into Russia from that country during the winter.
But this might just be false rumors being planeted by Russia to provoke a reaction out of Georgia or will try to claim that Georgia blew it up.
Anything reported by the russian news media is all being feed by the Kremlin.
Reagan is rolling in his grave right now.
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