Changes

In early August, 2008, Georgia sought to re-establish its control over the breakaway enclaves of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  This led to a Russian invasion not only of those areas, but of Georgia itself complete with a massive bombing campaign.  Cease-fires were finally established and Russian forces eventually withdraw from Georgia itself, but not from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which Russia has said will become independent nations.  The whole Georgia situation has led to quickly souring relations between Russia and the West.  

In early August, 2008, Georgia sought to re-establish its control over the breakaway enclaves of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  This led to a Russian invasion not only of those areas, but of Georgia itself complete with a massive bombing campaign.  Cease-fires were finally established and Russian forces eventually withdraw from Georgia itself, but not from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which Russia has said will become independent nations.  The whole Georgia situation has led to quickly souring relations between Russia and the West.  

A 9-month [[European Union[[ (EU) investigation into the 2008 war in the Caucasus concluded in Sept. 2009 that Georgia triggered the war, but that Russia had prepared the ground, broke international law by invading Georgia as a whole and that Russia-backed South Ossetian militias conducted ethnic cleansing of Georgian civilians. The conclusions, compiled by diplomat Heidi Taglivini, found that while there was evidence that regular Russian troops as well as volunteers and mercenaries had entered South Ossetia in Georgia before the start of the conflict on Aug. 7, no evidence was found of the full-scale Russian invasion to which Georgia said it was responding.

A 9-month [[European Union]] (EU) investigation into the 2008 war in the Caucasus concluded in Sept. 2009 that Georgia triggered the war, but that Russia had prepared the ground, broke international law by invading Georgia as a whole and that Russia-backed South Ossetian militias conducted ethnic cleansing of Georgian civilians. The conclusions, compiled by diplomat Heidi Taglivini, found that while there was evidence that regular Russian troops as well as volunteers and mercenaries had entered South Ossetia in Georgia before the start of the conflict on Aug. 7, no evidence was found of the full-scale Russian invasion to which Georgia said it was responding.

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