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Russia starts large-scale offensive in South Ossetia - UPDATED

Russia starts large-scale offensive in South Ossetia - <font color=red>UPDATED </font>

09 August 2008 08:00 (UTC +04:00)

He said that the 58th army units approached Tskhinvali on the night of August 9 and Russian peacekeepers were making preparations for peace enforcement operation in South Ossetia.
â€œMotorized rifle units, tanks and intelligence units have been sent to Tskhinvali. Attack aviation has been deployed in Russian aerodromes,â€ he said.
Konashenkov said 15 Russian peacekeepers had been killed and over 70 wounded. The colonel noted that 22 wounded soldiers had been evacuated from the battlefield with the mediation of OSCE representatives.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that operation had started in South Ossetia to force Georgia to agree to peace. Medvedev said at a meeting with Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and chief of Headquarters Nikokay Makarov:
â€œOur peacekeepers and reinforcement units are currently running an operation to force the Georgian side to agree to peace. They are responsible for the peopleâ€™s protection. We are engaged in this at present. â€