US and GB have no right to teach others about peace after their criminal agression in Iraq. Actually today is a date of bombing in Hiroshima... Nobody have commited such crime in one shot but Americans... Shame! And now it is another crime, whith US support... Shame! Shame! Shame!

Roman, San Francisco, USA

30000 Refugees were avacuated to Nothern Ossetia, ambulances from Vladikavkaz (N.O) still can not get to the hospitals, Georgians still shot even to the ambulances.

Marina Fredenburgh, Moscow,

when america was in need Georgia helps, now they are in need for help. Lets see what America is doing.

dhanes, paramaibo, suriname

2Nino Oh really? You are telling us that the US puppet Saakashvili didn't expect Russia to step in to protect her citizens living in Ossetia? In fact, Russia did it too late allowing Georgian bandits to kill hundreds and erase Ossetia's capital from the map.

Igor, Uralsk, Kazakhstan

First of all georgia never had intentions of starting a war with russia, especially right around now, when it's come so close to join the NATO. Russia is just getting mad because they want georgia to be under their shadows forever. Our land is ours and we're going to fight for it, like it or not.

Nino, Washington D.C.,

Nato's adventurism has to be stopped somewhere. We think that we can do, say and demand what we want. Self determination only counts if it suits us. Georgia has become cocky with US military aid. This is the same Georgia that ignored Chechen guerillas based there for attacks on Russian troops.

David, Glasgow, UK

Georgia has to put a stop to the instability created by Russia in a small Ossetian region of Georgia. Russia opposes NATO expansion in Georgia and with this war Russia is trying to show its power. How unfair?! Sure, they are strong against much smaller country, but they will have to STOP soon.

Anya, Tbilisi, Georgia

why no one cares that Georgia started operation at 1am when normal people sleep at their houses? And G president Saakashvili said day before that G isn't going to attack? S Ossetians live on their own land and have their own lang.

Marina Fredenburgh, Moscow,

so far 1400 civil Osetians kiled, 12 Russian peacemakers, 150 woonded, 30 Georgian military guys. Somebody explain please, why Georgians bombed civil buildings?

Marina Fredenburgh, Moscow,

Peace is Perfect

Patrick Sullivan, Des Moines, USA

When Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, and finally Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Yugoslavia the West supported them! That makes it rather difficult for the West to now condemn the break away republic of South Ossetia without been accused of hypocrisy or worse, anti-Slavic bias.

Simon , London, UK

I had not slept a minute this night, I'm staggered and feel absolutely dreadful for this people being bombed. Never had I thought to experience such a feeling, why did they need to be subjected to direct fire?!

Alexey L.N., Novosibirsk, Russia

Ivan,
The United States will not allow that. Georgia is our ally and we will support them. If Russia goes in heavy, don't expect us to stand pat. This is not Kosovo or Chechnya and they are irrelevant right now. Russia should stay out of Geogia until a peace agreement is back in place.

Jay, Los Angeles, U.S.

Have you asked osetins? They don't want to live with Georgia. If they want to live with Russia, it's their desion. That's why most of them decided to admitted to citizenship of Russia. And Russia wants to protect them

GB,Latv,Litv,USA,Isr,etc are guilty in this was because they gave Gergia weapon

Pavel S.Tsarevskiy, Samara, Russia

Learn the history of Osetia.
Georgia - Osetai conflict lasts for 800 years
The new struggle is forced due to Kosovo precedent

Dmitriy, Moscow,

Russian secret service blows up several apartment blocks in Moscow, killing hundreds of Russians, giving Putin the pretext for invading Checheyna and allowing him to appear as the saviour of the motherland. 1999. Russian interference in Georgia starts conflict, 1000's die. 2008. History is written!

Bobby Smith, London,

Stan,
The people of South Ossetia weren't persecuted for decades like the Kosovans were. The Serbs handed over Karadzic and step are being taken towards EU membership and as a result relations between the UK and the Serbia are improving.

James, Armadale,

This development was expected because USA and NATO feel much better when the new wars are popping up.
Ordinary people suffer again.
Once all is over Saakashvili and his team will get pat 'well done - good boy', and just retire in USA, and work for some 'NGO' or multinational corp as advisers.

savo, london, uk

For those who are not aware of the history of the region. South Osetia was given to Georgia by Stalin, they have no right on this land. When Soviet Union ceased to exist Osetians decided they wanted to be independent. If people there do not want to be a part of Georgia, they have such a right.

Vladimir, Moscow,

The War is come

Boris, Krasnoyarsk, Russia

The situation is very sad, and Saakashvili will have the responsability if a war begins. Let's hope for the best!

Agustin, Brussels., Belgium

1) We have an absolute right to defend OUR citizens, wherever they are.
2) If EU or NATO troops try to intervene, it will be a big mistake.

Konstantin, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation

Stop thinking like politics! People are dying there, ossetians, russian citizens. What would you do if your family was there?

Alexander, Moscow, Russia

all this resembles a Nazi invasion - so bloody and ruthless - as the peaceful citizents were unaware of the night bombing more than 5 cities have been wiped out. most of the citizents have to flee for life while the rest got trapped in their basements. that's the cost of Saakashvili's action!

sergei, Moscow,

What Georgia is attempting now is to restore its constitution on its own soil. What is Russia doing? It is sending jets to bomb a foreign country.

Gediminas, Warsaw, Poland

"and shows that the Georgian leadership has zero credit of trust” - Yuri Popov

And rightly so too. Recorded history provides sufficient evidence to prove that Russia never has been and is unlikely to ever be, a country to be trusted.

Richard Crow , Warsaw, Poland

Well stan, l.a it is the Europe's business to intervene because a lot of energy supplies come via Georgia.

Clive, Dartford, Kent

To Jim (Cambridge)
'Europeans have sole right to police the region'...well my dear friend Russia thinks along similar lines as well. So if Nato sends troops (which it wont) then we will have an impending disaster. Foolish of Saakashvili to start this. Russia should help the Ossetians.

Ruben Turner, London, UK

James, the only bully at the moment is the US and UK.
The person looking for war is Saakashvili, Russia doesn't want war, and doesn't need Georgia, but it has a number of citizens there, a better reason than Kosovo. Where the US wanted a base...

Fred, London, UK

UK and US face is not pretty,isnt it?But there are no truth.

Yegor, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

This war is favourable first of all the USA, now by means of the Georgian they provoke Moscow to power actions, what after to present Russia an aggressor and finally to spoil attitudes of the Russian Federation and EU, and it is necessary for all of them to arrange it up to elections in the USA

luba, Moscow,

Confirmed facts, not rumours spread by Saakashvili: Geogria started this war, against its own people. Georgia is bombing its own cities and villages and its own people. This is genocide, guys. One is either blind or has lost conscience not to see this.

Kyrill, Moscow,

stan l.a. hits the nail on the head. It was OK with European Union/US that Kosovans murdered and terrorised for its independence. Now that a region within a western allied nation wants its independence this is insupportable. What stinking hypocrisy!!

Steve, Sutton,

Jim, Russia has more right to police the region than outside powers as over 95% of South Ossetia's population are Russian citizens. North and South Ossetia is one nation artificially divided. Georgia could have kept it as an autonomy if it worked on gradual reconciliation, but it chose war...

Mike, London,

Russia is trying to bully its smaller neighbours into not aligning themselves with the West and NATO and showing once again its aggressive true face not only in politics but also in business.

james, london,

Most people here seems to haven't realize that GEORGIA ATTACTED S.OSSETIA and not Russia Georgia.Moreover bothe parties had agreed to a ceasefire and Shakaasvili gave a wet speech about peace and next day he attracted Osetia.

That;s some irresponsible clown politics by Georgian side.

Spyridon, Thessaloniki, Greece

EU forces - what EU forces, the only country with a relatively competant army in the EU is UK and we certainly don't have the troops to spare so lets forget that idea right now.

Ben, bath,

and european forces, as in Kosovo, will stay out and just see, how georgians kill civil osetians

Igor, Kaliningrad,

Russia uses the Georgian break away regions as cards to prevent Georgia joining NATO and forever escaping Russian influence. It seems outrageous for Russia to be effectively occupying parts of Georgia... lets put EU forces in Chechnya? Russia wants peace - that's rich given that it arms of Iran.

Ilan, Tel-Aviv, Israel

Everyone just needs to keep cool, there is no need for escalation...plenty of time to sit down and talk

john, london,

I really hope that Russia will intervene, and take the fight all the way to the Georgian capital. Saakashvili is a trouble-maker, and has probably been encouraged by the US in all this. After all, the US did the same in Croatia..Go, Russia, go..!!

David Fergus, Padiham,Lancs, UK

Well, it was not Russia who launched this attack.
However when so many of our citizens are under fire we expect announcement from our president today.
Its gonna be something like NATO mission over Kosovo.

Ivan, Moscow, Russia

Dear serbian mister James. The EU and the USA has cut a piece of your land, bombed Belgrade, imprisoned your leaders. Keep on supporting them and one day you'll see bombs falling on Orthodox churches of Belgrade again.

Pavel, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

We all know that Russia has provoked this war.. Unfortunately. Now “big brother will” show up with all his "super-power" and defeat the 4 million Orthodox Christian Georgians, and not the country with 40 million Muslims as Russians propagandize in their media. It’s really sad..

James, Belgrade, Serbia

All war is sad, sometimes one has to fight, the integrity of ones country is a reason why most of us would fight. Did Russia accept Chechnya declaring independence? No. Yet Russia wants Georgia to cede S.Ossetia.Russia has long been backing South Ossetia. This region can have autonomy within Georgia

Martin, Cork, Ireland

To Jim.
It's not Europe's business to intervene in Georgia especially when Russia has a presence in the region. Just like you Brits supported for Kosovo independence, now you oppose it from your pro-west Georgian ally?

stan, l.a,

Definitely really sad news... Sad because all of it has become somewhat tiresome to the peaceful citizens of Georgia and South Ossetia, especially when all this happens purely because of the Russian government which has always been imperialistic in its values and unfortunately remains so even today.

Grigol Gandzieli-Gegelia, Tbilisi, Georgia

Does Saakashvili think that osetins will be gratefull for these kind of rejoin??? The capital of the republic is flat in ruin now after whole night bombing

Alex, Utrecht,

The European Union should send in a military intervention force, as Estonia has suggested, and Georgia has requested. Georgia is part of the European Neighbourhood, and Europeans should have the sole right to police the region.

Jim, Cambridge, UK

Really sad news... All hope for a reconciliation between Ossetians and Georgians is destroyed by Saakashvili. Instead carefully work on healing old wounds, he decided to shed blood again. USA armed him to teeth, encouraged him - so, he feel free to start killing. Ossetian blood is on US hands.

Sergey, Moscow, Russia