Georgia conflict: day-by-day timeline
Updated on 19 August 2008
How events unfolded.
Tuesday 19 August 2008
Nato foreign ministers hold emergency meeting in Brussels and decide to suspend regular contacts with Russia.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov describes Nato's response as biased, and accuses NATO of siding with a "criminal regime" in Tbilisi.
Russia says its troops will pull back from Georgia to Russia, South Ossetia and a temporary security buffer zone by Friday 22 August.
Monday 18 August 2008
South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity says he has no confidence in international observers, and will ask Russia to station a military base in the region.
Russia says it has started pulling back its forces, but Georgia disagrees.
Russian president Dmitri Medvedev warns of a "crushing reponse" to any "further agression".
French leader Nicholas Sarkozy says he will call an emergency EU summit unless Russia withdraws immediately according to the terms of the ceasefire.
18 Aug 2008: Russian forces still in Georgia
18 Aug 2008: Russia slow to leave Georgia
Sunday 17 August 2008
Russia says it will pull out troops on Monday. Troops remain around Gori.
Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili calls for international monitoring of the situation during a joint press conference with German leader Angela Merkel.
17 Aug 2008: Slow progress following Russia's claims of withdrawal
Saturday 16 August 2008
Russia signs the peace deal, but says "extra security measures" are needed before it can begin withdrawing troops.
President Bush describes it as a "hopeful step" but says Russia must now withdraw its forces.
France says the peace deal does not allow Russia to occupy Georgian towns.
16 Aug 2008: Russia and Georgia sign ceasefire
Friday 15 August 2008
US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice arrives in Tbilisi for talks with Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili. She later tells a press conference Russian troops must leave Georgia immediately.
US group Human Rights Watch says Russian aircraft used cluster bombs in two separate raids on the towns of Ruisi and Gori on Tuesday 12 August, killing at least 11 civilians and injuring dozens. Russia denies this.
Russian president Dmitri Medvedev meets German chancellor Angela Merkel. She tells a news conference that some of Russia's actions were "not proportionate" and says Russian troops should withdraw from central areas in Georgia.
Medvedev claims the new Poland-based missile defence is aimed at Russia.
US president George Bush criticises Russia, saying "bullying and intimidation are not acceptable ways to conduct foreign policy in the 21st century".
French president Nicolas Sarkozy welcomes Georgia's signing of the ceasefire agreement, and says the way is now clear for a UN security council resolution.
Russia says it has no regrets, and would respond in the same way in future.
15 Aug 2008: US secretary of state arrives in Georgia
15 Aug 2008: Bush blames Russia over Georgia
Thursday 14 August 2008
Russia says it will withdraw troops from the Georgian town of Gori, although the troops will stay in the region for two days to hand control over to Georgian police.
Moscow denies reports that Russian tanks have entered the port city of Poti.
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev signs a ceasefire agreement and receives leaders of the separatist regions South Ossetia and Abkhazia in the Kremlin, pledging them his total support.
The US defence secretary, Robert Gates, warns: "If Russia does not step back from its aggressive posture and actions in Georgia, the US-Russian relationship could be adversely affected for years to come."
Poland signs deal which will allow USA to park missiles on Polish territory.
14 Aug 2008: a war of words over Georgia
14 Aug 2008: Russia appears to be withdrawing from Georgia, but tanks still evident
Wednesday 13 August 2008
Russia says it has no forces in Georgia, but Russian tanks are still in the Georgian town of Gori.
George Bush promises to send humanitarian supplies and says Condoleezza Rice will visit Tbilisi.
Foreign secretary David Miliband attends an emergency EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels. The ministers back calls to send peacekeepers into South Ossetia.
13 Aug 2008: Russian tanks on Gori streets despite Mosow's assurances of a ceasefire
Tuesday 12 August 2008
In the morning Russian warplanes bomb the town of Gori, killing at least five people.
Medvedev declares a ceasefire at around 11am, saying the aggressor has been punished and has suffered very serious losses.
Georgia accuses Russia of failing to withdraw troops, claiming civilian targets were still being bombed. Saakashvili claims a number of killings were reported after the ceasefire.
The UNHCR's first airlift arrives in Georgia with 34 tonnes of emergency aid for people, amid reports that some 100,000 people have been uprooted by the fighting.
The Foreign Office advises against all travel to Georgia.
Oil company BP closes two oil and gas pipelines running through Georgia as a precaution.
Gordon Brown calls for a lasting ceasefire and pledges to provide humanitarian aid.
12 Aug 2008: are Russian fighter jets still bombing Georgia?
Monday 11 August 2008
Russia moves forces into the breakaway region of Abkhazia. Georgia says it is pulling forces from Gori.
It claims Russia is heading to Tbilisi. Russian denies this.
Russia says Georgia continued to shell South Ossetia.
11 Aug 2008: moves to resolve conflict as Russia and Georgia fight on
Sunday 10 August 2008
Russian troops and tanks take control of Tskhinvali early on Sunday after a three-day battle.
Georgia offers a ceasefire and talks. Russia demands an unconditional Georgian withdrawal.
10 Aug 2008: Russian and Georgian forces continue to battle in South Ossetia
Saturday 9 August 2008
Russia bombs Georgian town of Gori, apparently targeting nearby military targets, but hitting apartment blocks. Tankers and a shipbuilding plant in Poti on the Black Sea are also hit.
Rebels in another pro-Russian enclave, Abkhazia, say their fighters are trying to drive out Georgian forces with bomb attacks in the Kodori Gorge.
The Russian prime minister, Vladimir Putin, says his country's actions are "totally legitimate".
The foreign secretary, David Miliband, makes a statement deploring the escalating violence in Georgia. "The offer of a ceasefire by the Georgian government is very welcome," he said.
"We now look to the Russian Government to accept this offer and agree to an immediate ceasefire, in line with its international commitments to respect Georgian territorial integrity."
George Bush makes a statement from Beijing, saying the States takes the matter "very seriously" and calling for an end to the Russian bombings.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urges an end to hostilities, saying he is "profoundly concerned over mounting tensions in the Abkhaz zone of conflict, including the bombing of the Upper Kodori Valley and the ongoing military build-up along the security zone".
9 Aug 2008: '2,000' dead in conflict between Georgia and Russia
Friday 8 August 2008
Dramatic escalation in the crisis.
Russian troops reach the South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali. Russian military confirms tank units from 58th army are in conflict with Georgian forces inside South Ossetia.
The Georgian president declares the two countries at war. He claims Russian planes have attacked towns in Georgia, outside the conflict zone.
The Russians say Georgian troops have fired on their peacekeeping forces for the first time.
Russian president Dmitri Medvedev says: "In accordance with the constitution and federal law and as president of the Russian Federation I must protect the lives of Russian citizens wherever they are. We will not allow the deaths of our compatriots to go unpunished."
Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili says: "I can now state Georgia is in full regime of self-defence against full-blown, unfounded and totally illegitimate aggression from the Russian Federation. Our troops are attacked by thousands of troops coming in from Russia."
The UNHCR says it is "closely following the situation in South Ossetia, where thousands of people are reported to be on the move following a week of violent clashes, including heavy shelling and sniper fire, between South Ossetian and Georgian forces."
The UN Security Council holds two emergency meetings to discuss the crisis.
Russia's UN ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, said Georgia was deliberately targeting Russian peacekeepers. Georgian ambassador Irakli Alasania denied this, and accused Russian fighter jets of "bombing the civilian population indiscriminately" in his country for 24 hours.
8 Aug 2008: Georgia and Russia 'at war'
Thursday 7 August
Georgia sends troops to South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali. It says this is in response to attacks from Russian-backed separatists.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issues a statement expressing his "serious concern about the mounting violence in South Ossetia".
He urges the parties to refrain from any action that could further escalate the situation and threaten the stability of the region.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported almost 1,100 people - including many children - from South Ossetia have arrived by bus in North Ossetia-Alania, Russia.
This followed clashes over the weekend, including sniper and mortar fire, between Georgian government and South Ossetian forces.
