Georgian Fires at South Ossetia, Russia MoD Stands Guard

July 31...  The leader of South Ossetia has demanded Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili be tried in court as a war criminal for giving orders to attack the republic's capital, Tskhinvali.

Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and another former Georgian republic, Abkhazia, after Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war last August. Georgian forces had attacked South Ossetia in an attempt to bring it back under central control.

Kokoity said South Ossetia had started a criminal case against Saakashvili and others who had "organized aggression" against the republic's citizens, adding that this is considered an international crime and should be punished. 

...He said South Ossetia would be a good neighbor to the Georgian people, but not the current government.

"We are not a vengeful people. One way or another, we will build normal, good neighborly and friendly relations with [our] neighboring country, but not with the current criminal regime, which we will prosecute," Kokoity said.

...The president said South Ossetia would start constructing border facilities on the 400-kilometer (250-mile) frontier with Georgia, despite Tbilisi's refusal to recognize South Ossetia's independence and participate in the demarcation of the border, which is currently controlled by Russian and South Ossetian border guards.

 August 1  - Russia's Defense Ministry is concerned over the recent shots on South Ossetia's capital Tskhinval and its suburbs and could use military force to defend the independent state's nationals, the Defense Ministry said Saturday.

The ministry said Georgia opened fire on the South Ossetian territory several times in the past few days. South Ossetian authorities reported mortar fire from Georgia on Saturday.

"Events in August 2008 developed in line with a similar scenario, which led to Georgia unfolding military aggression against South Ossetia and attacking the Russian peacekeeping contingent," the ministry said.

"Such actions cause serious concerns in the Russian Defense Ministry. In case of further provocations threatening the republic's population and the Russian military contingent deployed in South Ossetia, the ministry retains the right to use all available means and forces to defend the nationals of South Ossetia and Russian servicemen," it said.

As Defence Minister, Ivanov worked with U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to expand Russian-U.S. cooperation against international terrorist threats to both states.