Russian Federation continues to bomb Georgian territory

Despite the fact that the Georgian Authorities signed a peace plan developed by the international mediators and adopted a decision on unilateral ceasefire and withdrawal of Georgian armed troops from the conflict zone, which were as a consequence stationed in the vicinity of Tbilisi, the Russian Federation still continues to bomb the Georgian territory.

Today, on 12 August 2008, the cities of Gori, Khashuri, Agara and Kaspi and the villages of Tkviavi, Ruisi, Sakorintlo and Sveneti came under aerial attack. The available information indicates that the Russian military aircraft also carried out an attack on the Baku-Tbilisi-Supsa pipeline.

Of particular concern is the extreme brutality with which the Russian Federation carries out its aerial attacks on civilian and economic targets. While attacking Gori, Russian military aircraft bombed the city center setting on fire university, post office and hospital buildings. The attack killed peaceful citizens including a child, a Dutch journalist and a military doctor and left several people wounded. The Russian air defence troops even go so far as to bomb civilian transport means as well. In particular, Russian ‘peacekeepers’ destroyed a micro-bus in Agara causing casualties and injuring people.

Against the background of peace efforts undertaken by the Georgian Authorities, Russia’s barbaric acts of violence lay bare the genuine goals of the Russian Authorities – occupation of the entire territory of Georgia and change of the democratically elected government.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia calls on the international community to give a respective legal qualification to the culpable acts committed by Russia against humanity.

Tbilisi, 12 August 2008