Please tell me about the Georgia issue?

Question

I have been living under a rock for quite some time...no current events, anything like that. Today, I saw all kinds of updates about the Russia/Georgia issue, and I don't know what was going on in the first place. Can someone please tell me?

Answer 1

Ha M is dead on.  It helps to look at a map of it.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/w...

South Ossetia and Abkhazia are the parts of Georgia that want to be "independent." South Ossetia is pro-Russian and wants to be re-unified with North Ossetia, part of Russia.

However, when elected as the president of Georgia, Mikhail Sakashvili ran on a platform of reunification. He vowed to reunify South Ossetia and Abkhazia with Georgia, against the desires of the people of South Oesstia.

Georgian troops occupy both regions and there have bee many recent clashes, through out June and July (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgian-Os...

On the night of August 1-2, six Ossetians were reportedly killed and 21 injured as a result of one of an intensive shootout in the South Ossetian conflict zone. Both sides have blamed each other for opening fire first.

On the 8th Georgia launched military offensive to "restore constitutional order in the whole region." Georgia started a full-scale attack on the breakaway republic overnight, using tanks, aircraft, heavy artillery and infantry. Media sources reported, that Georgian MRLS started shelling separatist capital, Tskhinvali where civilian population started evacuation 3 days earlier. South Ossetian authorities accused Georgia of committing "planned massacre of Ossetian civilian population: children, elderly and young women". The Tshinvali's central hospital, university and some of its schools were also hit.

According to Russian authorities in North Ossetia, part of Russian Federation, 30,000 refugees arrived from South Ossetia until the end of first day of the conflict. South Ossetian and Russian media accuses the U.S. for supporting actions of Georgian government, which is said to be the "U.S. puppet" of the region. The basis of the allegations is Mikheil Saakashvili himself, who learned law in the U.S and the fact that  on March 9, 2007, Georgia's deputy defense minister was reported as saying that Georgia would likely send additional troops to Iraq, possibly for a total contingent size of about 2,400. It is also known that the wife of President Saakashvili is an U.S. citizen and is now in U.S. with their children.

According to select members of the Russian press, Georgian military attacked a Russian base in Tshinval with artillery and missiles on August 8. Several Russian soldiers were reported dead or wounded. Georgia argued that the Russian peacekeepers were not a neutral force, supporting this with claims that 60% of South Ossetian funding comes from Moscow.

"Georgian military forces attacked suddenly with the strong support of heavy artillery (BM-21 122mm and 152mm), tanks, and aircrafts. Within the first two hours the main Ossetian bunkers were completely destroyed. Most of Tshinval's communications and facilities were also heavily damaged. The town's central hospital, university and some of its schools were also hit. After the third artillery wave, two Georgian heavy tanks regiments began their attack in converging directions around Tshinval, and almost completely encircled it. Russian peacekeepers withstood the Georgian thrust and saved several bunkers. The Russian government claimed that Georgian soldiers had killed peacemakers and civilians that were unconscious or injured.

Russia claimed this attack killed 15 and injured 150 of peacekeepers stationed in the region since 1992 under CIS mandate. In response, Russia ordered 150 tanks of its 58th Army into Ossetia, and attempted to reclaim lost ground."

That's where we are now. Russia has declared an end to its military operation but is also not retreating. Experts say a "cease fire" is contingent upon Russia getting Georgia 100% out of South Ossetia and having a de-militarized zone around South Ossetia.

Answer 2

It's a Georgian conflict and Russia simply got involved.

Answer 3

I know the whole thing. My heritage is Armenia, a country that borders Georgia, and is the 1st Christian nation on Earth. Anyways, a part of Georgia wanted to become independent. That little part is called South Ossetia, but Abkhazia is another part of Georgia. Many South Ossetians are Russian. Georgians started to attack South Ossetia because Ossetia wanted to break away. Now Russia is defending Abkhazia, and South Ossetia. Honestly, Russia still thinks they are the Soviet Union. Back on topic, this conflict has been going on before Kosovo. This is the same exact conflict just like Kosovo.

Answer 4

war with russia for starters,   at this point,  does it matter who started it,  they are at war,   sucks to be them