SOS Georgia

2009-03-05T11:06:00.001-08:00

The Georgian meetings in Brussels at Aug. 2008

Breaches by Russia of the Ceasefire Agreement:

2008-10-14T08:42:00.000-07:00

Breaches by Russia of the Ceasefire Agreement:
Checkpoints
10 October 2008

The Russian Army has illegally established 25 checkpoints deep within sovereign Georgian territory, contravening the six-point ceasefire agreement brokered by France. As of 10 October 4 Checkpoints still remain in Georgia in the territories adjacent to the Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, Georgia. Russian troops are also in upper Abkhazia (Kodori gorge).
There are an estimated 400 Russian soldiers and 30 Armored Personal Carriers stationed at these checkpoints. Additionally, there are an estimated 7,000 Russian soldiers in Abkhazia and in the Tskhinvali region.

List of checkpoints in the teritory adjacent to the South Ossetia Region

1. Perevi (Sachkhere district) paratroopers company, 7 APC, 3 Ural type car, 100 servicemen
2. 1 km north of Odzisi in the Akhalgori district: 6 APC, 100 Russian servicemen.
3. Village Mosabruni (Akhalgori district): 6 APC, 100 Russian Servicemen.
4. Village Ikoti (Akhalgori District): 6 APC, 100 Russian Servicemen.

European Parliament resolution on Georgia

2008-09-04T05:34:00.000-07:00

European parliament had produced extremely supportive resolution yesterday, providing full support for Georgian territorial integrity, and demanding withdrawal of Russian troops according to the agreement which was brokered by EU presidency holder and Russian president.

The full text of resolution is here
To read complete transcript of debates and to see the project of resolution prepared by different groups please click on the "debates" menu; please click on "votes" to see transcript of votes.

Most notable proposition which unfortunately didn't went through was the joint motion of European Free Alliance/The Greens led by former 1968 French youth leader Mr. Daniel Cohn-Bendit who proposed:

"21. Calls for the development of a privileged partnership with both country-region Georgia country-region and country-region Ukraine "

and
And nationalist UEN Group who

"23. Calls on the International Olympic Committee to announce a fresh competition to decide which country should host the Winter Olympic Games 2014, as organising the Games in an undemocratic country could lead to a repetition of the situation in 1980 when the Olympic Games in Moscow were boycotted;"

Unforchunately those motions were rejected but we got very important point at the final version saying

"28. Recalls that at the Bucharest Summit on 3 April 2008 NATO agreed that Georgia would become a member of the Alliance"

Basically all parts of political spectre from left to right supported Georgia, with a small exception. Resulted of votes are available at the European parliament site at item5

Manifestation in support of Georgia at 15.00 Monday Sept 1, 2007

2008-08-28T10:31:00.000-07:00

At 15.00 Monday Sept 1, 2007 georgian community in Brussels together with SOS Georgia are planning the massive manifestation in support of Georgia at the Place Schumann, in from of the European Commission in Brussels.
This event is set to display our support for liberty and piece in Georgia during the emergency meeting of European Union's head of states, which will take place at the same time.

See you there.

Timeline of Events in the Russians Invasion and Occupation of Georgia as of August 21 - 22, 2008

2008-08-23T06:58:00.001-07:00

Service of the Government of Georgia

Timeline of Events in the
Russians Invasion & Occupation of Georgia
As of August 21-22 2008

22 AUGUST

14:30 Russian troops start withdrawal from Igoeti and Kaspi 25kms from Tbilisi towards Gori. Gori remains under Russian control.

14:00 100 armored vehicles start movement from Senaki towards Zugdidi. Russian troops still remain in Senaki and Poti.

12:00 Deputy Chief of Staff of Russian Army Anatoly Nogovitsin says on press conference that Russia will keep 18 checkpoints on South Ossetian-Georgian “border” and in buffer zone. The same amount of Check points and 2142 soldiers will remain on Georgian-Abkhazian “border”.

10:00 No evidence of Russian troops withdrawal is observed by 10:00

02:30 Unknown explosive device exploded in Marneuli, installed under the railway bridge – no damage reported

Reportedly antitank missile or explosive exploded under the Imiri railway bridge, Marneuli district, 25 km. south from Tbilisi. The bridge was not damaged

Russian troops dig entrenchments in village Chuberi near Enguri Power Plant. Military presence of Russian troops reported at the dam infrastructure of power plant.

21 AUGUST

23:00 According to the Minister of Defense of Russia Anatoly Serdiukov, Russian troops will start withdrawal from 00:06 on 22nd of August and will leave Georgia proper within 24 hours.

21:00 Russian troops once again fail to pullout as agreed
Russian troops again delayed the pool out of troops. According to the Commander of Russian Ground Forces Army, General Vladimir Boldirev the process of withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Georgia will take 10 days. He declared that peacekeeping checkpoints will start operating from August 22 and the remaining Russian troops will pullout in coming ten days.

19:30 Russian militaries release 10 soldiers out of 20 captured on August 19 in port of Poti.

18:00 Russians handed over to Georgian side 62 Georgian civilian hostages, most of the elderly people of 60 and more. 101 Georgian civilians still remain held in the breakaway South Ossetia’s capital, Tskhinvali.

16:00”Very little evidence” of Russian troops withdrawing, Foreign Minister of Finland and the OSCE Chair in Office Alex Stubb states.

14:00 Russia restricts freedom of movement throughout territory of Georgia
Embassy of the Russian Federation to Georgia handed over a Note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, according to which the Ministry of Defense of the RF must be in advance notified about any planned travel of all delegations and diplomats to the city of Gori.

15:00 Russians creating buffer zones
According to Anatoly Nogovitsin, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, Russian forces will establish two lines of checkpoints in “a security zone” in the vicinity of South Ossetia“. “The first line will include eight checkpoints across the line of zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers. The second line – involving 10 checkpoints – will be set across the administrative border of South Ossetia. Total of 272 soldiers will be deployed on the eight checkpoints of the first line,” he declared, and added that there will be a buffer zone between these two lines. Nogovitsin did not give any other details or specifics about the exact area of the zone; however he said that the town of Gori would not be included in the zone.

10:30 aprx. Eric Fournier blocked near Gori
Ambassador of France to Georgia Eric Fournier is being blocked near Gori by Russian troops on his way from Satchkhere to Tbilisi and is prevented to continue his drive. He has been allowed to continue at 13:00.

10:30 Russian troops digging entrenchments in Poti

• Russian occupants start digging entrenchments in Poti. Russian `BMP` armored vehicles and `URAL` trucks are located at the Nabadi territory at the entrance of the city.

As reported, Russian troops open fire at Humanitarian Airplanes above Gori.

Sanction Russia; 15.oo At European Parliament

2008-08-19T11:30:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow at 15.00 during the emergency EU meeting regarding situation in Georgia we are having a manifestation against ongoing Russian aggression in Georgia in front of European parliament's main entrance at Place de Luxemburg, Brussels.

If Russian troops will not be withdrawn from the occupied Georgian cities, and if Russian federation will keep preventing Georgian law enforcement from protecting the civilian population, then the only effective tool which international community can use to stop looting and to re-establish law and order in the region will be economic sanctions and freezing all Russian assets in the western banks.

In the name of suffering civilian population of Georgia we ask representatives of European nations to consider this option.
Save lives before it is too late...

Chronology of bombing in Georgia

2008-08-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

Chronology of Bombing Facts
August 12, 2008

(43) 09.30-10.55 Bombing of Gori (Central Square and
Market).

August 11, 2008

(42) 07:15 Senaki airport runway and Senaki military base
were bombed by Russian jets.

(41) 06:10 Gori tank battalion is bombed. A civilian
apartment building nearby has been hit.

(40) 05:00 Shiraki airfield in Dedoplistskaro District on
the east of the country is bombed by Russian jets.

(39) 04:37 Civilian radar station in the village of Leninisi
in 5 kilometers from downtown Tbilisi was partially destroyed by Russian
jet.

(38) 04:30 The Central Command Center of Georgian Air Forces
was bombed.

(37) 03:26 Russian jets bombed Kodori Gorge (Upper
Abkhazia).

(36) 03:12 Territory adjustment to military base in
Khelvachauri (near Georgian-Turkish border) was bombed.

(35) 03:05 Villages of Sharabidzeebi, Kapandichi and Makho
near Batumi (Georgian-Turkish border) were bombed by Russian planes.
Graveyard and villagers' backyard have been hit. No casualties reported.

(34) 00:31 Russian jets bombed Kodori Gorge (Upper Abkhazia).

(33) 00:30 Civilian radar station in the village of
Shavshvebi west of Gori is bombed by Russian planes.

August 10, 2008

(32) 20:25 Two jets bombed Kodori Gorge (Upper Abkhazia).

(31) 19:35 Two jets bombed Senaki (West Georgia).

(30) 19:10 "Tbilaviamsheni" aviation factory was bombarded
by Russian aviation again.

(29) 19:05 Russian aviation dropped bomb on Tbilisi Civil
Airport.

(28) 16:10 Russian aviation bombarded only remaining bridge
on the Highway l inking eastern and western parts of the country. There was
a fire on the bridge. Fire is extinguished. The traffic is restored.

(27) 16:05 Gori is being bombed by Russian aviation.

(26) 15:10 Russian troops and Abkhaz separatists launch
ground attack on Upper Abkhazia. The region is being bombed by Russian
aviation.

(25) 15:00 Russian aircrafts bomb the village of Knolevi in
the northern Kareli district.

(24) 11:15 The village of Shavshvebi between Gori and Kareli
have been bombed by Russian aviation.

(23) 08:45 Ten Russian jets attack Upper Abkhazia. One jet
has been downed by Georgian Government troops.

(22) 07:40 Russian jets bomb village of Urta in Zugdidi
district.

(21) 05:45 Russian jet entered Georgian airspace from
Dagestan and dropped 3 Bombs on Tbilisi airplane factory.

August 9, 2008

(20) 22:30 Russian air forces bombarded Chkhalta,
administrative center of Upper Abkhazia. No Casualties reported.

(19) 16:35 Oni was bombarded by Russian aviation.

(18) 14:00 Russian air force attack Upper Abkhazia (Kodori
gorge) in several places, including the airdrome in the village of
Omarishara.

(17) 12:40 Kopitnari airdrome is bombed again.

(16) 10:22 Russian air force continues to bomb Gori, located
60 kilometers northwest from Tbilisi and is outside the conflict zone.

(15) 10:00 Russian air force bomb Kopitnari airdrome in
several kilometers from Kutaisi.

(14) 01:20 Gatchiani in the Gardabani districts was
bombarded, which is 20 kilometers southeast of Tbilisi and outside the
conflict zone and is also close to the BTC pipeline, but the pipeline is not
damaged.

(13) 01:00 Poti was bombarded a second time, which is
located on the Black Sea coast, 260 kilometers west from Tbilisi, is outside
the conflict zone and is a pure civilian target.

(12) 00:20 Vaziani airfield is bombed again, which is 2-3
kilometers from Tbilisi International Airport and is located outside the
conflict zone. Two air bombs didn't explode.

(11) 00:17 Lightening bombs are dropped on Senaki military
base, which is 213 kilometers west of Tbilisi and is outside the conflict
zone. 1 serviceman and 5 reservists were reported killed. The railway
station in Senaki is also bombed and eight are killed.

(10) 00:12 Poti port, which is located on the Black Sea
coast, 260 kilometers west from Tbilisi, is outside the conflict zone and
is a pure civilian target, is bombed heavily. One hydrographic vessel has
been sunk.

August 8, 2008

(9) 18:45 Georgian Gori artillery brigade is bombarded by
5 Russian airplanes.

(8) 17:35 Marneuli military airbase, 20 kilometers south
of Tbilisi and outside the conflict zone, is bombed for the third time
resulting in 1 death and 4 injured. As a result of three bombings, three
grounded AN-2 type planes and military vehicles stationed there are
destroyed.

(7) 17:00 Marneuli military airbase is bombed for the
second time causing casualties.

(5)(6) 16.30 Russian aviation bombs Marneuli and Bolnisi
military airbases, 20 kilometers and 35 kilometers south of Tbilisi
respectively. Two aircrafts were destroyed on ground. Also several buildings
were destroyed and there are casualties.

(4) 15:05 Russian military plane enters Georgia from the
direction of Tedzami, just south of Gori, and drop two bombs on the Vaziani
military airport and turned back.

(3) 10:57 Two of the six Russian aircraft drop three bombs
in Gori. One of these fell near the stadium, the second near Gorijvari slope
and third near a artillery brigade.

(2) 10:30 Russian Su-24 bombs the village of Variani in
the Kareli district, 75 kilometers west of Tbilisi and outside the conflict
zone. Seven civilians were injured as a result.

(1) 09:45 A Russian military fighter plane drops about 3-5
bombs near the village of Shavshvebi, on the highway between Poti and
Tbilisi and is 300-500 meters from Georgian military radar.

2008-08-15T05:13:00.000-07:00

Saturday Aug 16th the SOS Georgia is organising a manifestation in Brussels to display support for Georgia and to fund rise for the victims of the conflict.

The event will begin at 11 am in front of Le Manneken Pis, one of Brussels most popular tourist attractions, by short introduction of Georgian culture.

It will be followed by the demonstration and meeting at the Bourse square in the heart of Brussels

See you there

SOS Georgia

2008-08-14T04:07:00.000-07:00

Right now, while you are reading this post and while high ranking politicians are running a conference after conference to stop the crisis, the senior citizens, children, pregnant woman and other desperate civilians in republic of Georgia, the tiny country in Southern Caucasus are desperately searching for shelter and relief, for medication for wounded and for the food for those who are starving.
Children whose houses were bombed are sleeping at the street. Wounded civilians are dying before the help can reach them...

YOU CAN HELP!

Please follow this link or post a message below to become a volunteer, to donate, or to offer your help

It is your chance to make a difference.