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The News in Brief

Monday, August 14
2008 Russo-Georgian War Recap: August 12

Nine years have passed since the Russo-Georgian War of August 2008. Civil.ge uses its archives and other sources to provide a daily recap of the events of the war. We start on August 1, 2008, amid the final stage of pre-war escalation, and will continue up to the occupation of Akhalgori Municipality by the Russian troops on August 16.

August 12: Russian air force continues bombing campaign during the night.

At 09:30 Russian air force bombs Gori.

Russian forces bomb the central square of the town of Gori with an Iskander-M/SS-26 missile, killing eight civilians and injuring 15.

At 12:40 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announces that he has ordered to end the military operation in Georgia. The Russian forces, however, continue their advance in both eastern and western Georgia, beyond Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Georgian President MikheilSaakashvili “must stand down.”

At 14:00 Russian air force bombs villages in Kaspi and Khashuri districts.

Russian-backed Tskhinvali militia start a campaign of ethnic cleansing in the Georgian villages captured by the Russian forces.

Tens of thousands of Tbilisi residents gather at a rally against the Russian invasion.

A Russian attack helicopter opens fire at a civilian minibus on the main highway near Gori, which is transporting passengers from western Georgia to Tbilisi, killing nine civilians.

Russian troops cut the main highway between eastern and western Georgia in the Gori city area.

At 16:30 Russian troops capture TV and radio transmitter station in village Akhaldaba, Gori District, destroying its equipment, killing one employee and wounding two.

Georgia announces it is quitting the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) – a Russian-led organization established in the aftermath of the fall of the Soviet Union.

At 17:30 Russian-backed Abkhaz forces occupy village Ganmukhuri, Zugdidi District and organize a checkpoint there.

Russian troops in the Poti port destroy Georgian military and patrol vessels.

Russian-backed Abkhaz forces capture Kodori Valley.

By 19:00 a Russian military column reaches Khaishi village in western Georgia, blocking the road from Kodori Valley.

Presidents of Estonia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine, as well as the Prime Minister of Latvia, arrive in Tbilisi to demonstrate their nations’ solidarity with Georgia and decrease the chance of a Russian attack on the Georgian capital by their physical presence there.

After negotiating with the Russian leadership in Moscow, French President Nicholas Sarkozy arrives in Tbilisi with a ceasefire draft. Following Sarkozy’s negotiation with the Georgian leadership, amendments are made into the six-point ceasefire agreement text with the consent of Moscow.
(Civil.ge)



Georgia to ban unhealthy food in its public schools

Georgia plans to ban unhealthy food in public schools, particularly sugary beverages and salty products, in an effort to promote healthier lifestyle among school children.

“When children come to school in September they will see a different buffet,” Alexandre Jejelava, Minister of Education and Science was quoted by the news agency IPN as saying.

Measures laid out by the ministry on Friday will include banning food with high sugar or salt content in school buffets, offering training for food providers and buffet operators at schools in how to provide a healthy diet.

The plan also involves a joint effort between the Sports Ministry and the Agriculture Ministry to provide schools with healthy food products and increase physical activities for children, Jejelava told Imedi TV.

If the operators of school buffets don’t comply with the new rules, the ministry will terminate their contracts, Jejelava added.
(DF Watch)