Russia steps up attacks on Georgia

Michael Mainville
AFP
Monday, Aug 11, 2008

Russia intensified attacks on Georgia on Monday, the Tblisi government said, ignoring appeals for a ceasefire and US diplomatic warnings.

After taking control of Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia, Russian warplanes carried out fresh bombing raids in Georgia, Georgia's foreign ministry said.

With Russia saying more than 2,000 people have been killed, Europe led diplomatic efforts to end the conflict with the French and Finnish foreign minister holding talks in Tblisi on Monday ahead of a meeting with Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow on Tuesday.

US President George W. Bush, Georgia's strongest western ally, told Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that the Russian offensive was "unacceptable".

"More than 50 Russian warplanes are flying over Georgia. Tbilisi was bombed. Bombs hit the village of Kojori and Makhata mountain," the foreign ministry in Tblisi said.

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