Dmitry Medvedev: "Georgia committed act of military aggression directed against South Ossetia, Russia"
On the night of August 7-8, Georgia committed an act of military aggression directed primarily against the people of
South Ossetia and the Russian peacekeeping brigade deployed in this region.
Dmitry Medvedev made this statement at a meeting with the leaders of the State Duma factions.
Georgia used heavy artillery, tanks, aviation and the regular army to literally wipe Tskhinvali, its homes, hospitals
and schools, from the face of the Earth. Several thousand people have become victims of the ensuing humanitarian
disaster, and a large number of them are Russian citizens.
Mr Medvedev stressed that in just a few hours all of the agreements that existed at that point were made null and void,
not to mention that all the basic principles of international law have been violated: the wounded have had no chance to
get treatment and refugees have not had the possibility of evacuation. This is the tragic result of the unspeakable
aggressive act that Georgia, the Georgian authorities, has committed.
Russia's tactic with regard to the Georgian leadership, which unleashed this aggression, is that of enforcing peace in
accordance with the United Nations Charter. The President said that this tactic is absolutely effective and the only
possible option.
Conditions for normalising the situation in the region remain unchanged. As Mr Medvedev declared earlier, all Georgian
armed forces must withdraw from South Ossetia, and Georgia and South Ossetia must sign a legally binding agreement
committing them not to use force.
ENDS