Russia Ignores Georgia’s Ceasefire Offer

Russia kept up its offensive on Georgia for the fourth day despite the former Soviet republic’s ceasefire offer.

The Georgian government said yesterday that Russian warplanes attacked a special forces base and air traffic control center in the Tbilisi suburb. Russia also carried out massive bombing raids and attacked the Georgian city of Gori.

Russian troops issued an ultimatum to Georgian forces in pro-Russia Abkhazia that they lay down their weapons.

Georgian President Mikheil Saakachvili delivered the ceasefire offer he signed to the Russian Embassy in Georgia. Russia, however, did not stop its attacks.

Bombardments were conducted on Aligari, a border city between Russian North Ossetia and Georgian South Ossetia. The city is 60 kilometers from the border of South Ossetia.

A soldier deployed in a night battle said, “If you hear a bombing here, it means most of South Ossetia is now caught in the middle of a crossfire.

A light bomb dropped in the air was spotted disappearing in the south of the Caucasus Mountains separating Russia and Georgia.

The sound of engines resonated due to the march of Russian tanks and armored vehicles on the road leading from suburban Aligari to South Ossetia.

Foreign reporters on the scene said the conflict between the two countries will continue until they sign a ceasefire.”

Despite Georgia’s ceasefire offer, Russian forces have been preparing for a long-term confrontation by deploying large tanks and helicopters across the North Ossetia region.

Many soldiers from member nations of the former Commonwealth of Independent States were also deployed. They told reporters in Russian, “We’re from the northern line.”

The Russian army sent some former CIS soldiers to the Georgian line from the northern line before mounting a massive attack.

Military experts said the conflict will not stop at the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali and will spread throughout South Ossetia and Abkhazia, south of Georgia.”

The Russian news agency RIA Novosti said “7,400 Georgians were stationed Monday morning in and near Tskhinvali.”

Abkhazia, which is trying to separate itself from Georgia with South Ossetia, had seen an increase in Russian forces.

U.S. President George W. Bush told MSNBC, “I expressed my grave concern about the disproportionate response of Russia, and that we strongly condemn bombing outside of South Ossetia.”

viyonz@donga.com will71@donga.com