What are the implications of the conflict between Russia and Georgia ?

Question

How will this all get settled ?Will the US or UN have to get involved ? Which countries are backing Russia and which are backing Georgia ?

Answer 1

BAD. VERY BAD. THAT IS, ESPECIALLY IF SOME OF THE OLD SOVIET NUCLEAR WARHEADS WERE POSITIONED IN GEORGIA. THE WORLD WOULD BE SMART IF THEY STAYED OUT OF IT. REMEMBER RUSSIA COULDN'T EVEN BEAT THE AFGHANS. OH GOSH, THAT'S WHERE WERE INVOLVED.

Answer 2

15 of its servicemen have been killed in the violence, and 2,000 civilians in South Ossetia have lost their lives. Around 30,000 refugees have flooded across the border into Russia to escape the violence since Friday morning.

A senior Russian diplomat said on Saturday that the country may ask the International Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights to investigate war crimes committed by Georgia.

"I do not rule out that the Hague and Strasbourg courts and institutions in other cities will be involved in investigating these crimes, and this inhuman drama that has been played out," Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told news agencies in an interview broadcast on the Vesti-24 TV channel.

Russian peacekeepers "were killed by their own [Georgian] partners in the peacekeeping forces," he said.

"There is a Russian battalion, an Ossetian battalion, and a Georgian battalion... and all of a sudden the Georgians, Georgian peacekeepers, begin shooting their Russian colleagues. This is of course a war crime," Karasin said.

The ongoing conflict is the most severe since South Ossetia fought its way to independence from Georgia in 1992. The majority of the local population have Russian citizenship.

The first major conflict between the sides took place in 1918-1920. It began in a series of uprisings in the Ossetian-inhabited areas of what is now South Ossetia.

The uprisings were against the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic, which claimed several thousand lives and left painful memories among the two communities.

During Soviet times the conflict was frozen because of Moscow’s tight control of the area. However, it began to gain momentum in late 1980s, not long before the collapse of the Soviet Union, amid the rising nationalism among both Georgians and Ossetians.

The influential South Ossetian Popular Front was created in 1988. But in the summer of 1990 the Georgian Supreme Council adopted a law barring regional parties.

This was interpreted by Ossetians as a move against the South Ossetian Popular Front and led to Ossetians proclaiming South Ossetia a Soviet Democratic Republic, fully sovereign within the USSR.

Подпись The map of the region

Ossetians boycotted subsequent Georgian parliamentary elections and held their own contest in December. The Georgian government headed by Zviad Gamsakhurdia declared this election illegitimate and abolished South Ossetia's autonomous status altogether in December, 1990.

Violent conflict broke out towards the end of 1991. Many South Ossetian villages were attacked and burned down as well along with Georgian houses and schools in Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia.

As a result of the violence, approximately 1,000 people died and about 100,000 ethnic Ossetians fled the territory and moved mostly to North Ossetia, a republic within the Russian Federation.

In 1992, Georgia was forced to accept a ceasefire to avoid a large scale confrontation with Russia. The government of Georgia and South Ossetian separatists reached an agreement to avoid the use of force against one another, and Georgia pledged not to impose sanctions against South Ossetia.

A peacekeeping force of Ossetians, Russians and Georgians was established at the time. And late in 1992 the OSCE set up a mission in Georgia to monitor the peacekeeping operation.

From then, until mid-2004, South Ossetia was generally peaceful.

In June 2004, tensions began to rise as the Georgian authorities strengthened their efforts against smuggling in the region. Hostage takings, shootouts and occasional bombings left dozens dead and wounded.

A ceasefire deal was reached on August 13, but it has been repeatedly violated.

Tensions in the region soared in 2008 and outbreaks of violence became increasingly frequent in the border area.

Georgia said it was an internal affair as the breakaway republic had never been recognized internationally.

The Georgian side repeatedly insisted the conflict could be resolved without outside interference.

However, early on August 8 Georgia launched a massive military offensive to take control of the republic.

Legal status of peacekeepers in South Ossetia

Peacekeeping duties in South Ossetia are overseen by a Joint Control Commission, composed of Georgian, Ossetian and Russian officials.

The military force under the commission includes troops from all the three sides.  They are authorised to carry out policing and peacekeeping duties in the region.

Peacekeepers also take part in joint-observer groups, which monitor the demilitarised zone and investigate alleged violations of the peace agreements.

The commission was created in 1992. The regulating document called ‘Dagomys agreement’ was sighed by Georgian President Eduard Shevarnadze and Russian President Boris Yeltsin on June 24 of that year.

Answer 3

Georgia stiked the south ossetian region and russia defend south ossetia. South ossetia wants indepence just like kosovo wanted indepence. It is the same thing that happened with the US and kosovo. Continuing on to my point, Georgia knew that russia was going to defend ossetia but they attacked anyway. Russia had troops built up on the border. Georgia is trying to start ww3 by assuming the Us will get into the conflict as well. They attack ossetia because they assumed the US would help, simply because russia is the "enemy". The is the first time sense ww2 that russia has been right in declaring war.

Answer 4

US is supporting Georgia and Georgia is currently in control of the capital.

Answer 5

Im not sure how this will all be settled, but hopefully diplomatically. Im sure that soon the US will tell Russia to get out of Georgia, because they are a free nation and an important ally to us. If this turns into all out war, well be on Georgias side. Russia has already started bombing the capital city of Tblisi so i guess well all just have to wait and see what has happened by tomorrow. As of now the President of Georgia isnt asking for military to help, just for the leaders of the world to talk Russia into backing down.  

Answer 6

I'm scared.  This whole thing is way too close to Iran.  Iran and Russia will stick together.  The way I understand the news reports U.S. supports Georgia, and of course not too fond of Iran right now anyway.  China Russia and Iran have already formed an alliance to have each others back.   Sounds like it could start WWIII to me someone please assure me that is impossible and I have been awake too long.  And am I the only one that believes whoever started this picked today while all eyes would be on China for the Olympics?  

Answer 7

Россия преобладает мир!!!!!

Answer 8

Im russian.... and i think that russia is ******* retarded. there is no excuses for this. period.