Russian Troops Intervened in S.Ossetia – Russia Official

Units of the Russian 58th Army were deployed in outskirts of Tskhinvali “to suppress” the Georgian forces’ firing positions, an aide to commander of the Russian land forces, Igor Konashenkov, said.

“Firing positions of the Georgian army from where Tskhinvali and positions of the Russian peacekeeper were shelled have been suppressed by the artillery and combat tanks of the units of the 58th Army,” Interfax news agency reported quoting Konashenkov.

“Georgian forces, which entered into South Ossetia, are located in the firing range of our units. Any kind of shooting in the zone of responsibility will be fiercely suppressed,” he added.

President Saakashvili said earlier on August 8, that 150 Russian tanks, armored personnel carriers and other type of armored vehicles “are now coming into the Georgian territory [in South Ossetia] from Roki Tunnel.”

“This is a clear intrusion on another country’s territory. We have Russian tanks on our territory, jets on our territory in broad daylight,” he added.