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Russian troops leave Senaki, Gori and Poti not captured

12 August 2008 08:41 (UTC +04:00)

There were reports that Russian troops captured Gori and Poti cities and made their way towards Tbilisi on August 11-12. There were rumours in the capital that Russian tanks approached near Tbilisi from Mtskheta town. Georgian Defense Minister David Kezerashvili stated that main units of Russian troops took a position near Tbilisi. But Mikhail Saakashvili refuted the facts that Gori has been captured and Russian troops attacked on Tbilisi.
â€œTanks observed near Tbilisi are Georgian ones and directed to Gori. Gori has not been captured,â€ he said.
Saakashvili added that Tbilisi is not under threat and soothed the people. Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze addressed live broadcasting midnight that Russian troops entered Poti city. Russian Defense Ministry refuted the information and noted that intelligence officers entered the city and left the city in a short time. Russian Defense Ministry said that peacekeeping contingent has been dislocated in Georgia-Ossetia and Georgia-Abkhazia conflict zones and they have not planned to move on.
â€œPeacekeepers aimed to prevent next aggression of Georgia against Ossetia. Rumours spread by Georgian Government are not true,â€ Russian Defense Ministry said.