MOSABRUNI, South Ossetia - August
26, 2008 - Russia's conflict with Georgia erupted again last night after armed
Georgians took control of a village inside the Moscow-backed breakaway province
of South Ossetia.
Fighting was reported around the village of Mosabruni. Earlier, the Kremlin had vowed to use force if Georgia ignored its warnings not to move troops close to South Ossetia and to stop reconnaissance flights.
Both houses of the Russian parliament yesterday voted unanimously to recognize South Ossetia and a second breakaway region, Abkhazia, as independent states, even though both are part of Georgia under international law.
The move would have to be ratified by the Kremlin.
Russian military officials confirmed that their forces are still in control of Georgia's main port of Poti and are carrying out checks of imported cargo.
The EU yesterday called a special summit for next Monday as France complained of 'looting, destruction of houses and intimidation' in ethnic Georgian villages inside South Ossetia.
But far from bowing to Western pressure, the Kremlin issued a warning to Moldova to expect the same treatment if it tried to take back the pro-Russian breakaway enclave of Transdniestr.