Kavkaz

TBILISI (Reuters) – Russian troops issued an ultimatum on Monday to Georgian forces near the breakaway region of Abkhazia to disarm or face attack, but Georgia swiftly rejected the demand.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s president, prime minister, defense minister and top generals on Monday attended a meeting on the military situation in Georgia’s breakaway region of South Ossetia, a Kremlin spokesman said.

BRUSSELS, Aug 11 – The European Commission has released 1 million euros ($1.52 million) in humanitarian aid for civilians affected by the fighting in South Ossetia, it said in a statement.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia has boosted its forces in Abkhazia, a second rebel region of Georgia, and now has more than 9,000 paratroopers and 350 armour there, Interfax news agency quoted an aide to the commander of Russian peacekeepers as saying on Monday.

BEIJING (Reuters) – President George W. Bush said on Monday he had expressed grave concern to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin about Russia’s “disproportionate response” against Georgia in the South Ossetia conflict.

The separatist region of Abkhazia has declared a 10-day ‘state of war’ in its territories close to the de facto borders with Georgia.

The White House has orchestrated the current conflict between Russia and Georgia in South Ossetia, a high-ranking Russian official says.

TSKHINVALI, Georgia (Reuters) – Russian troops and tanks took the capital of the separatist Georgian region of South Ossetia on Sunday after a bloody three-day battle as Georgian forces retreated and offered a ceasefire.

BEIJING (Reuters) – The White House warned Russia on Sunday that military escalation in the Georgia conflict could have a “significant, long-term impact” on relations between Washington and Moscow.

(Reuters) – Following are developments in Georgia at 1030 gmt on Sunday: — A senior Russian defense official said Russian troops controlled most of Tskhinvali, the South Ossetian capital.