Russia: Other Points of View

RUSSIAN FEDERATION WEEKLY SITREP

by Patrick Armstrong, August 28, 2008

HYPOCRISY. There’s plenty of that to go around. NATO is taking its stance on the principle of territorial integrity – something that apparently didn’t apply in Kosovo – and Russia’s supposedly “disproportionate” response, despite NATO’s bombing of the Danube bridges in Novy Sad http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_NATO_bombing_of_Novi_Sad. For its part, Moscow is posing as a humanitarian hero – a quality in short supply in the Chechen wars, especially the first – and a defender of self-determination, ditto. So let us concentrate on the two salient facts, and ignore the posturing.

Latest Casualty Figures from South Ossetia

Death toll from conflict in S. Ossetia stands at 1,692 – South Ossetian prosecutor/ INTERFAX news agency

TSKHINVALI. Aug 28 - An estimated 1,692 people are registered as having been killed in the recent military conflict in South Ossetia, South Ossetian Prosecutor General Teimuraz Khugayev claimed on Thursday, citing the materials of the criminal case involving the genocide of the people of the republic opened on the basis of the conflict.

"As of August 28, 1,692 people were killed and 1,500 were wounded as a result of the Georgian aggression. An estimated 3,500 citizens have been recognized as victims: those are the people who have lost their relatives and homes," Khugayev told a press conference in Tskhinvali.

The Wounds of Tskhinvali

The West Needs To Make Up For Past Mistakes On Russia

by Andrey Tsygankov

Against its best intentions, the United States is pushing the Kremlin to take the harshest possible steps in defense of its perceived interests. The recent crisis in the Caucasus may be a prelude to a series of other crises in the former Soviet region.

Timeline of Events of Georgian Invasion of South Ossetia

On August 19, 2008 The Russian government released a timeline of events leading up to their invasion of the small country of Georgia to their south.

The Kremlin maintains that their military actions starting on Aug. 8 were only a response to Georgian aggression in the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia.

This timeline describes the precise sequence of events leading up to the tragic incursion of Georgian armed forces in South Ossetia.

Lobbying for War

by Andrey Tsygankov, RussiaProfile.org, August 21, 2008

(republished from and with the permission of Russia Profile)

The Anti-Russian Lobby in the United States Pushes for NATO's Expansion Despite Russia's Objections

Although the principal responsibility for Georgia's recent attack on South Ossetia lies with Tbilisi, the United States shares the blame for the resulting violence in the region. Because of American political support, economic assistance and training of the Georgian military, Tbilisi felt emboldened in its adventurism. Now that Georgia is defeated and its powerful patron humiliated, it is important to ask what actions and statements by the United States sustained the level of support that Tbilisi read as sufficient to launch a military campaign in Russia's backyard.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION WEEKLY SITREP

by Patrick Armstrong, 21 August 2008

WHAT MOSCOW SAYS. Moscow says that the Georgian retreat from South Ossetia became precipitous; the civil authorities, police and armed forces abandoned Gori. Russian reconnaissance elements (and it should be understood that the Russian Army, like many others, practises heavy recce – ie with tanks) found a base with many tanks, APCs and ammunition quite abandoned. The Russian command elected to “secure” this dump lest it fall into irresponsible hands. Moscow say that it is maintaining order in the power vacuum and suppressing looters. It says that something similar happened in many areas of Western Georgia where Russian forces are “securing” another dump in Senaki. There is a good deal of evidence from Western news agencies to support this. Readers are invited to check these links: not everything gets the emphasis it should. Retreat http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=9ab_1218564198, power vacuum and looting http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7558813.stm, Western Georgia http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7562962.stm(note that reporter does not entertain the possibility that these are abandoned Georgian vehicles the Russians are driving: a similar mistake http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7558813.stm was made by the BBC in Gori), at least one jailbreak http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=19128 in Georgia, looters http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b20_1218743275, some of whom are Georgians http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8FajNEaxwc (go to 48sec). Moscow claims
http://news.interfax.ru/frame-news-view-content-01.shtml?id=2587946 there is still occasional firing.

The Georgia/South Ossetia/Russia/US Crisis

by Sharon Tennison, August 20, 2008

CCI friends and funders,

Many of you have called and emailed regarding the Georgia/S.Ossetia/Russia debacle. We've followed the happenings day and night - at times over a hundred emails a day arrived from analysts and experts on Russia. These events occurred right after I arrived from Russia, so this is the first time I've had to write - though I hope you have checked our blog for analyses of NYT, WP, and other articles on these issues.

This following piece is unforgivably long. If you have little time to read, please just scan the following bullets.

Conspiracy Theories

by Patrick Armstrong, August 20, 2008

There are two theories making the rounds about the South Ossetia crisis.

One I will term the "American conspiracy". This argues that Georgia would never have made its military moves on Thursday and Friday without Washington's approval/connivance/planning and that the purpose was either 1) that Tbilisi would quickly secure South Ossetia and later Abkhazia, thereby establishing its control over its rebellious provinces (a condition of NATO membership) or 2) fail to do so in the face of Russian opposition. Thus, Georgia's entry into NATO would be assured.

Serious Mistakes by the West

Interview with the former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, DER SPIEGEL, August 20, 2008

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder discusses the war in the Caucasus, the possibility of Germany serving as an intermediary in the conflict and his belief in a constructive role for Russia.