Russia inks military pacts with Georgia’s breakaway regions

October 1st, 2009 MOSCOW - Russia's military Thursday warned of an increasing militarisation of its southern neighbour Georgia, in a warning coming a day after a European Union report blamed both countries for the brief but bitter war in the summer of 2008. Deputy chief of general staff Anatoly Nogovizin said that since the war, Georgia had boosted its military forces by 4,000 to a current level of 36,000.

September 20th, 2009 MOSCOW - Russia intends to significantly upgrade marine patrols off the coast of Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia, the Russian news agency Interfax reported Sunday. The dispute over the status of Abkhazia and the other breakaway republic of South Ossetia led to war last summer between Russia and Georgia.

September 11th, 2009 Chavez: Venezuela to get rockets from RussiaCARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he has signed military agreements with Russia and is soon expecting the arrival of some "little rockets." Chavez says the rockets reach up to 186 miles (300 kilometers) and are strictly for defense purposes. Chavez returned Friday from a world tour including a visit to Russia, where he met with President Dmitry Medvedev.

August 8th, 2009 Medvedev: Defeat of Georgia showed Russian mightVLADIKAVKAZ, Russia —Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday hailed the Russian victory in a war with Georgia a year ago, saying it showed the nation's strength and boosted its role in the world. Medvedev vowed that Russia would not renege on its recognition of the independence of two breakaway Georgian regions after the brief and bitter war.

August 8th, 2009 Russia leader: Sarkozy deal keeps peace in GeorgiaVLADIKAVKAZ, Russia —Russian President Dmitry Medvedev awarded medals Saturday to servicemen who fought in the war against Georgia a year ago, and promised Russia would not reverse its recognition of two breakaway Georgian provinces. The August 2008 conflict ended with the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia declaring independence, with Russia's backing.

August 8th, 2009 Medvedev gives medals, praises Sarkozy on GeorgiaVLADIKAVKAZ, Russia —Russian President Dmitry Medvedev promised Saturday that Russia would not withdraw its recognition of two breakaway Georgian regions, as he commemorated the start of last year's brief and bitter war against Georgia. Medvedev awarded medals to servicemen who fought in the war, in which Russian forces crushed those of its tiny neighbor.

July 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia has not contributed to promoting stability following last year's brief war, the US State Department said Tuesday. Medvedev made the controversial trip to South Ossetia Monday and offered financial and military support in defiance of the West and the Georgian government.

July 13th, 2009 Medvedev cheered in breakaway Georgian regionTBILISI, Georgia — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was greeted by raucous crowds cheering and chanting "Thank you!" when he visited South Ossetia in a trip showing off Russia's ties to the breakaway Georgian region. Georgian officials called Monday's visit — the first by Medvedev since last year's war between Russia and Georgia — a provocation.

July 3rd, 2009 MOSCOW - Moscow and Washington will sign deals expanding bilateral military ties and on transit of military supplies via Russia to the American troops in Afghanistan during President Barack Obama's visit to the Russian capital, an official said Friday. The signing of the pacts will reflect "the political decision on the resumption of full-scale military contacts between Russia and the United States", which were frozen after the war between Russia and Georgia over South Ossetia last year, Kremlin aide Sergei Prikhodko has said.

June 3rd, 2009 Georgian officials in US warn of Russian buildupWASHINGTON — Georgia's defense minister is warning about Russia's military buildup as he meets with Obama administration officials in Washington this week. In an interview with The Associated Press, Defense Minister Vasil Sikharulidze and Georgia's ambassador to Washington, Batu Kutelia, said that Russia has vastly improved communication and supply lines on breakaway Georgian territory since the two countries fought a war last August.

May 5th, 2009 MOSCOW - Russia is to expel the head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's information office from Moscow, a report said Tuesday, in a sign of a continued deterioration of the country's relations with the Western military alliance. Diplomat Isabelle Francois and a NATO colleague are expected to be told formally to leave Russia Wednesday morning, the Interfax news agency said, citing a source in the Russian foreign ministry.

May 5th, 2009 Georgian official says mutiny under wayMOSCOW — Georgia's defense minister says a mutiny is under way at military base near the capital. David Sikharulidze said in televised remarks Tuesday that several hundred army personnel were ignoring orders at the tank battalion base, around 20 miles (30 kilometers) from Tbilisi.

April 30th, 2009 Russia signs border deal with Abkhazia, S. OssetiaMOSCOW — Russia signed a deal with Georgia's two breakaway regions Thursday giving Moscow the power to guard their borders — a move sharply criticized in Tbilisi.

April 22nd, 2009 Georgian protests get reinforcement from provincesTBILISI, Georgia — Thousands of opposition supporters from Georgia's provinces have come to the capital to join the protesters aiming to force President Mikhail Saakashvili to step down. A convoy of some 600 cars, minibuses and buses loaded with opposition backers from western Georgia poured into Tbilisi on Wednesday evening.

January 19th, 2009 MOSCOW - A friendship and cooperation agreement between Russia and the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia has come into force, the Russian foreign minister said Tuesday. Sergei Lavrov said Moscow and Tskhinvali would soon sign an array of agreements on cooperation in the military sphere, border protection and trade.