Post-war Russo-Georgian crisis in 2008–2009

After the Russo-Georgian War in August 2008, a number of incidents occurred in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Tensions between Georgia, Ukraine, the United States and the NATO on one side and Russia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other side remained high in 2008–2009. There were expectations that armed hostilities between Russia and Georgia would resume in 2009.

1 September 2008
On 1 September 2008, an interview with Colonel Vladimir Kvachkov was published. Kvachkov said that Russia had an opportunity to install a new regime in Georgia in August 2008 and the new leader of pro-Russian "democratic" government had already been selected by 12 August. The Russian spetsnaz had the orders to land in Tbilisi and either capture or kill President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili. Kvachkov refused to confirm whether Igor Giorgadze was supposed to become Georgia's new president.

Georgian MP Koba Khabazi declared that Georgia must lay claim to the city of Sochi in Russia. He also said that the world was now divided into two blocs: the Communist bloc and the others.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov proposed to impose arms embargo against Saakashvili's regime. This initiative was seen as aimed against the United States and Ukraine.

The Russian Foreign Ministry declared that Georgia was hindering the return of 15 thousand Russian citizens to Russia. Foreign ministry official Andrey Nesterenko claimed that Georgia had begun rearming and the Georgian forces were regrouping on the Georgia–South Ossetia border.

On 1 September 2008, a human chain was formed in Tbilisi and other Georgian cities upon Saakashvili's initiative. Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II of Georgia gave his blessing.

In response to the sharp escalation with the West over invasion of Georgia, Russia began the largest military exercises in 20 years, named Stability 2008. 47 thousand troops would prepare for the probable nuclear war with the NATO in the 74-day exercises. The simulation scenario envisaged the launch of the Russian nuclear strike on the United States and the total annihilation of all enemy forces. President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev addressed the participants of the exercises in late September and referred to the war in South Ossetia in his speech.

2 September 2008
On 2 September 2008, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev called his Georgian counterpart a "political corpse". American officials suggested that the United States was considering to assist Georgia in the Georgian military rebuilding.

Russian foreign ministry official Andrei Nesterenko accused Georgia of recreating artillery installations near Gori, Georgia and of military build-up near the security zone of South Ossetia.

President of Abkhazia Sergei Bagapsh declared that no new Russian bases would be built in Abkhazia. He also said that the Russian Black Sea Fleet would not relocate to Abkhazia and only the Russian land forces would continue their presence. Bagapsh said that the Russian recognition of Abkhazia was the end of the unipolar world. Bagapsh warned the West against rearming Georgia which could lead to the World War III. He also warned Georgia against "saber-rattling", otherwise Georgia could lose its statehood.

Anatoliy Nogovitsyn, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, declared that the US military transport had made 76 flights to Tbilisi in the period from August 13 to September 1 and delivered 1,200 tons of cargo. Nogovitsyn declared that Russia had withdrawn all regular forces from Abkhazia and South Ossetia deployed during the "peace enforcement" operation and only peacekeepers remained there.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia notified the Russian embassy of terminating diplomatic relations. The Russian embassy in Tbilisi would stop operations on 3 September.

An editorial in The Washington Times argued that old Russian weapons were still potent in the battle as evidenced in August 2008.

3 September 2008
$1 billion aid for Georgia was announced by the White House on 3 September 2008. Georgia would receive about half of aid during the remaining term of office of George W. Bush.

As of 3 September 2008, the official Georgian military casualties in the war were announced to be 156 killed.

4 September 2008
On 4 September 2008, Alexander Babakov, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma, compared the Russian invasion of Georgia to Soviet advance into Nazi Germany in the World War II during a discussion on the role of Ukraine in the August 2008 war. Konstantin Zatulin, Deputy Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma on CIS Affairs and Relations with Compatriots, declared that the conflict with Georgia stabilized the situation in the North Caucasus and secured the territorial integrity of Russia.

The OSCE began monitoring of the road between Tskhinvali and the Georgian village of Karaleti.

During his visit to Georgia, Vice President of the United States Dick Cheney called the Russian invasion "an illegitimate, unilateral attempt" to alter the borders of Georgia. Cheney stated, "Russia's actions have cast grave doubts on Russia's intentions and on its reliability as an international partner." Cheney said that the US would support Georgia in joining NATO. Chairman of the Russian State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev claimed that Cheney was creating "anti-Russian axis".

Russian envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said that Russia would not be indifferent to Georgia's accession to NATO and that Russia would not cooperate with NATO over Afghanistan anymore. Rogozin denounced "insolent" visit of the Secretary General of NATO to Georgia projected to take place on September 15-16.

Pavel Borodin, the State Secretary of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, declared that Abkhazia and South Ossetia could join the Union State by the year's end.

Nicaragua recognised the republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on 5 September 2008.

5 September 2008
On 5 September 2008, an editorial in Newsweek argued that if the United States decided to rebuild the Georgian army for battling against Russia, NATO's Eastern European members could demand the acquisition of the same defense capabilities.

USS Mount Whitney arrived in Poti. Russian foreign ministry official Andrei Nesterenko stated that Russia would not respond militarily to the increased presence of the NATO in the Black Sea.

6-7 September 2008
On 6 September 2008, Abkhaz president Sergei Bagapsh announced plans to make Abkhazia an Offshore financial centre and to join the Commonwealth of Independent States. He also supported the Russian intervention in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, saying that if Russia had not intervened, the Abkhaz forces would not have stopped in Poti or Kutaisi.

The foreign ministers of the European Union decided to dispatch observers to Georgia.

Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Vladimir Zhirinovsky declared that Russia should have occupied the whole of Georgia during the war and eliminated the Georgian statehood.

8 September 2008
On 8 September 2008, the International Court of Justice launched hearings into Georgia vs Russia case to examine Russia's role in the ethnic cleansing of Georgians upon Georgia's request.

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko declared that Belarus would consider the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia after 2008 Belarusian parliamentary election.

Russian foreign ministry official Andrei Nesterenko announced that BP had stopped transporting oil via the Baku–Supsa Pipeline. Nesterenko said that the Georgian infrastructure losses were $1 billion, while the Georgian currency reserves lost $1.25 billion.

It was reported that Abkhaz de facto authorities allegedly began pressuring the schools in Gali District, Abkhazia to stop teaching in Georgian.

Georgia reported that Russian military near Poti strengthened their presence.

United States Department of State official Matthew Bryza said that the United States did not recognize the Russian buffer zones in Georgia as legal. He also said that the United States would not support an arms embargo against Georgia. Russian Foreign Ministry official Andrei Nesterenko said that Russia was against the deployment of a separate EU mission to Georgia. Russian envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said that Russia would stop cooperating with the NATO if Georgia was granted a MAP because this would mean that "NATO took the side of the aggressor".

2 Polish journalists were arrested near the village of Karaleti by Russian and South Ossetian forces and were being treated as Prisoner of wars.

MediaNews agency alleged that the Russian 58th Army had actually lost 1789 soldiers and 105 tanks in the war.

President of France Nicolas Sarkozy and Medvedev signed another agreement on a Russian pullback from Georgia. After meeting with the French president, Medvedev said the withdrawal depended on assurances that Georgia would not use force. The meeting between the European officials and Russian president had lasted over 4 hours. It emerged that after Medvedev had taken a break and left the meeting, Sarkozy threatened to abandon the negotiations because he opposed the Russian demand to remove the point on the Russian withdrawal from Georgia. Medvedev announced that after the international contingent would be deployed to the areas bordering Abkhazia and South Ossetia by 1 October 2008, Russia would withdraw its troops from undisputed Georgia within 10 days. Medvedev said that he had been given a document signed by Saakashvili relinquishing the right of the use of force. President of the United States George W. Bush recalled a draft nuclear cooperation treaty from the United States Congress. Georgian president Saakashvili signed the updated Medvedev-Sarkozy peace plan on the night of 9 September. Saakashvili said that he had shown an evidence to the EU leaders that Georgia did not initiate the hostilities in August 2008.

9 September 2008
On 9 September 2008, Anatoliy Nogovitsyn, deputy chief of the Russian General Staff, met with ambassadors and military attachés of more than 100 countries. He said that the US aid in deploying of Georgian military from Iraq "created a precedent of complicity in the armed conflict on the side of Georgia." Nogovitsyn stated that the Georgian Buk missile system responsible for downing 4 Russian planes was installed east of Gori.

Russia established diplomatic relations with South Ossetia and Abkhazia on 9 September 2008.

On 9 September, anonymous Russian military official said that Russia began complete pullout from Georgia; however, later on the same day, the reporter in Karaleti and Georgian official did not confirm the beginning of the pullout. Russia declared that 7,600 Russian soldiers would remain in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russian troops withdrew from Ganmukhuri near the border with Abkhazia, which, according to Georgian Security Council chief Alexander Lomaia, was one of 24 Russian checkpoints or positions outside separatist territories as of 9 September. At the United Nations Security Council, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin proposed a resolution imposing arms embargo on Georgia. Eric S. Edelman, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, said that "Georgia, like any sovereign country, should have the ability to defend itself and to deter renewed aggression."

Nino Burjanadze, former chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia, said in an interview that Georgia would never accept the loss of the territories and nobody, even Russia, had the right to dictate the Georgian people who should be the president of Georgia.

The New York Times reported that the Russian recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia gave new aspirations to separatists in Tatarstan and elsewhere in Russia that they could obtain independence too.

10 September 2008
On 10 September 2008, the International Herald Tribune suggested that Russia was probably waiting for Georgian resistance movement to begin fighting against the Russian troops in order to legitimize sustained military occupation of Georgia.

It was reported that the Russian Foreign Ministry was expecting Belarus, Syria, Libya, Jordan and Morocco to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

A Georgian policeman was killed in a village north of Gori. The shooting happened several hundred meters from a Russian checkpoint in Karaleti, 12 mi from South Ossetia. Russian officials denied responsibility, saying that it may have been perpetrated by South Ossetians. The Russian forces barred Ukrainian delegation from visiting Karaleti.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the EU-signed document on the deployment of the EU observers to Abkhazia and South Ossetia was irrelevant for Russia. Gennady Zyuganov, leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, said that the Russian leadership made a "grave mistake" by allowing the EU into the conflict zone. Sean McCormack, the United States Department of State representative, said that Russian deployment of 7,600 troops in Abkhazia and South Ossetia "of course, would be a violation of the ceasefire that they signed in August."

Russia's NATO envoy Dmitry Rogozin called on the NATO leadership to postpone a visit to Georgia planned on September 15-16 because it was "inappropriate". Roman Kolodkin, Russian representative in The Hague, asked the international court to reject Georgia's complaint because Russia had "no effective control" over South Ossetia or any Georgian area. Two days later, the Russian Foreign Ministry requested the court to completely remove Georgia's complaint from agenda.

On 10 September 2008, the Russian Central Armed Forces Museum began an exhibition dedicated to the August 2008 war, where Georgian military items captured in Tskhinvali were displayed. Another exhibition featuring the Georgian tanks was opened at the Kubinka Tank Museum.

Head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov said that the Russian recognition of South Ossetia would not cause Chechnya to reconsider being part of Russia and seek independence.

Russian analyst, who shared the views of Aleksandr Dugin, wrote that Gori was a key to the Caucasus region and Russia and South Ossetia had to gain the control of Gori Municipality, while Armenia had to gain Samtskhe–Javakheti and Tsalka Municipality. Thus contiguous Russia-Ossetia-Armenia-Iran axis would be established after Georgia's disintegration and the West would be kept out from the Caspian region.

11 September 2008
On 11 September 2008, former head of Yukos and prisoner Mikhail Khodorkovsky supported the Kremlin's actions in Georgia and Russian recognition of South Ossetia.

On 11 September 2008, the Valdai Discussion Club met with the leader of South Ossetia. Eduard Kokoity said that South Ossetia wanted to join Russia. He also said that the West was ready to recognize united Ossetia if North Ossetia had left the Russian Federation before Kosovo's recognition. Chairman of the Parliament of South Ossetia Znaur Gassiev stated that Kokoity and Medvedev had decided that South Ossetia would join Russia in several years. However, in several hours Kokoity changed his mind and said that South Ossetia would remain independent. Member of the State Duma Anatoly Aksakov noted that a federal constitutional law envisaging the admission of a foreign country or its part into the Russian Federation had been adopted for 7 years and described the procedures. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in Warsaw, "South Ossetia does not want to join anything. It understood that without declaring independence it would not be able to provide for its own safety." Lavrov also said that U.S. officials had stated that if Georgia attempted "an armed action against Ossetia, then it will scrap their plans for NATO membership." Lenta.ru suggested that Kokoity was not an independent president of a real independent country, but the governor of de facto Russian region. Anonymous source in the Presidential Administration of Russia told Nezavisimaya Gazeta that Kokoity had been asked to keep silence about joining Russia. Member of the State Duma Aleksey Mitrofanov said that Kokoity was given a recommendation not to make such statements which would cause the escalation of tensions with the West.

President Medvedev said that the Georgian "aggression" and continued militarization compelled Russia to rearm and obtain new weapons. He accused the United States of cooperating with "the rotten regimes, who are conducting military adventures."

Member of the Georgian opposition Kakha Kukava said that "Russia clearly understands that it would be impossible to replace Saakashvili with [Igor] Giorgadze."

Georgian president Saakashvili told the Associated Press that claims that the US were sending military aid to Georgia was Russian propaganda and there was "no way Georgia can fight wars with Russia".

12 September 2008
On 12 September 2008, Interfax wrote that the world changed on 8 August 2008 and Russia would no longer refrain from acting against Ukraine even if the latter was supported by the United States and the Russian fleet would not leave Crimea.

Russian online journal alleged on 12 September 2008 that American neocons, headed by Randy Scheunemann and George Soros, were lobbying for the US recognition of several regions of Russia as independent in response to the Russian recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Eduard Kokoity declared that he would not allow the international monitors to enter South Ossetia. The Associated Press reported that talks with Russia failed as Russia did not want to allow the entry of monitors into South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia also did not agree to the deployment of 80 OSCE observers to Georgia.

President Medvedev said that he would not have hesitated to attack Georgia even if Georgia had a MAP. He also said that NATO's consideration of Georgia's membership was offensive for Russia. Medvedev said that Saakashvili had "a mass of pathologies" and "takes narcotic drugs".

On 12 September 2008, the Asian Development Bank gave a $40 million low-interest credit to Georgia in response to the Russian invasion of Georgia. The International Herald Tribune stated that this move by Chinese-dominated bank was one of the rebuffs to Putin by Asia.

On 12 September 2008, Secretary-General of the GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development declared that Georgia would no longer buy the Russian products and would instead purchase the Ukrainian products.

13 September 2008
Pullout of the Russian troops from Georgia began on 13 September 2008. Russian troops began withdrawing from western Georgia, and by 11:00 MSK, the posts near Poti were abandoned. Withdrawals from Senaki and Khobi also took place. The Georgian authorities confirmed the Russian withdrawal from Poti.

Georgian policeman was killed in Ganmukhuri on the Abkhazia–Georgia border. Georgian media reported that South Ossetians took 6 Georgians hostage in the villages of the Tskhinvali District and threatened to burn ethnic Georgians alive if they did not leave their homes. Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia Vano Merabishvili announced that the special forces would be deployed near the administrative boundaries of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in response to the recent killings of the Georgian policemen.

Spouse of President Saakashvili Sandra Roelofs described the events in the beginning of August 2008 in an interview. She also said that the arrival of 5 European presidents in Tbilisi on 12 August was a turning point.

14 September 2008
On 14 September 2008, Abkhaz authorities accused Georgia of blowing up Excavator belonging to the Russian peacekeeping forces in Gali district.

It was announced that Georgia had resumed the export of electric power to Krasnodar Krai.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov landed at the Babushera airport in Abkhazia, launching an official visit to Sukhumi. Lavrov declared that the border between Abkhazia and Russia would be as transparent as borders within the European Union. Sergei Bagapsh said that the mass return of the Georgian refugees to Abkhazia would not happen.

15 September 2008
On 15 September 2008, RIA Novosti reported that according to Russian military intelligence, Georgia had lost around 3 thousand servicemen in the August 2008 conflict and the Georgian government was artificially lowering the casualties.

Russia's NATO envoy Dmitry Rogozin said that if Georgia was invited to join NATO, the alliance members risked finding themselves in a war against Russia.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Vladikavkaz and took a road passing through the Roki Tunnel to Tskhinvali. He met with South Ossetian president Eduard Kokoity near the Roki Tunnel. Lavrov criticized Saakashvili's position that Georgia's commitment to non-use of force would become actual if Abkhazia and South Ossetia were recognized as parts of Georgia as a rejection of the EU-Russia agreement. Lavrov also stated that Ukraine was "shamelessly" using the August 2008 conflict to pursue pro-NATO policy. Head of the OSCE mission in Georgia Terhi Hakala met with Lavrov in Tskhinvali and discussed unimpeded access to South Ossetia for the OSCE. When Lavrov returned to Moscow, he warned against facilitating "the penetration of the anti-Russian virus into the minds of the Georgian people" and that he did "not advise anyone to insult Russia". Lavrov stated that the United States did not grant entry visas for South Ossetian and Abkhaz authorities to attend the United Nations Security Council. The OSCE did not agree to the Abkhaz and Ossetian participation in talks in Geneva scheduled for 15 October 2008.

16 September 2008
On 16 September 2008, Eduard Kokoity abolished taxes in South Ossetia until the end of 2008. Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin declared that a control mechanism should be established to oversee the spending for South Ossetia's reconstruction.

Georgia handed over the bodies of the two Russian pilots, shot down during the conflict, to Russia.

Russia's NATO envoy Dmitry Rogozin said that the international investigation of the war by NATO would not be unbiased and Condoleezza Rice could participate in the investigation.

Pro-Russian party in Latvia proposed the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Vladimir Zhirinovsky told Vladimir Putin that the United States had selected Irakli Alasania, who allegedly had been an agent of the Central Intelligence Agency for 10 years, as new president of Georgia.

17 September 2008
On 17 September 2008, Russian envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin claimed that the Russian intelligence had gotten American plans to use Georgia against Iran and Washington had already started "active military preparations on Georgia's territory" and that the "reason why Washington values Saakashvili's regime so highly" was that he had allowed the US to do so. Rogozin also asserted that the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia would be recognized by 20-25 countries in the next year and half.

Medvedev and presidents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia signed treaties in Moscow. Medvedev accused Georgia of "revanchist" tendencies and of rearming for "aggression". Abkhazia and South Ossetia announced plans to apply for admission into the Union State, Commonwealth of Independent States and Collective Security Treaty Organization. The Georgian Foreign Ministry said that the treaties were illegitimate. Eduard Kokoity announced at a press conference that South Ossetia wanted to join Russia.

18 September 2008
On 18 September 2008, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that Georgia's foreign allies were going to train terrorists in Georgia. Lavrov declared that the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia would not serve as a precedent for Transnistria and Nagorno Karabakh. He said that following the Russian recognition, the Russian forces in Abkhazia and South Ossetia were no longer peacekeepers and announced that the Russian military bases would be built in the newly recognized republics.

19 September 2008
On 19 September 2008, Gagauzia and the Government in exile of the Republic of Serbian Krajina recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Georgian president Saakashvili told Le Monde newspaper that Putin had promised to implement Northern Cyprus scenario in 2006.

The Russian Foreign Ministry official proposed to relocate the office of the UNOMIG from Abkhazia to Georgia. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Merkel stated that the United States would help Georgia to restore its military capabilities.

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev met with the public in the Kremlin and discussed Russia's international relations and an internal situation within the country. Medvedev said that the Georgian people were not guilty for the "aggression" and "genocide" perpetrated by the "criminal regime".

20 September 2008
On 20 September 2008, South Ossetia celebrated the 18th year of independence and held a military parade in Tskhinvali. Deputy Foreign Minister of South Ossetia said that the guests had arrived from Chechnya, Kabardino-Balkaria, Rostov Oblast and Belgium. The finale of the parade resembled that of the 1945 Moscow Victory Parade.

President of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega said that the countries of Latin America were considering the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

21 September 2008
On 21 September 2008, the Georgian authorities stated a Georgian policeman was killed and three wounded after shots were fired "from the direction of the [nearby] Russian army checkpoint" on the administrative border between Abkhazia and Georgia, with the ensuing trade of fire between Georgian police and Abkhaz-controlled territory continuing for several minutes. Abkhaz authorities confirmed that shootout in the Georgian village of Khurcha had occurred, but denied that the Abkhaz forces were participating in the incident.

22 September 2008
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia reported that the Russian drone was shot down near Gori on the morning of 22 September. The Russian military denied the loss of the drone.

On 22 September 2008, a mine wounded two Georgian policemen on the administrative border between Abkhazia and Georgia.

It was reported that Hansjörg Haber, chief of the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), had already landed in Tbilisi in the previous days.

Boris Gryzlov, Speaker of the State Duma, visited Tskhinvali. He thanked Marat Kulakhmetov, the commander of the Russian peacekeepers, for his actions during the war.

23 September 2008
On 23 September 2008, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Vladimir Zhirinovsky said that Russia would militarily invade Ukraine in defense of the residents of Crimea and south-eastern Ukraine if they asked for Russia's help similar to South Ossetia.

Alexander Babakov, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma, proposed to establish a CIS tribunal to try Georgian president Saakashvili.

Abkhaz president Bagapsh announced that Abkhazia would reinforce its border with Georgia. He said that the Russian forces would be deployed in the upper Kodori Valley and Russian military bases would be established in Gudauta and Ochamchire.

Viktor Ivanov, head of the Federal Drug Control Service of Russia, said that it was Georgia's fault that Russia had become the main consumer of Afghan heroin because Georgia had severed diplomatic relations with Russia and was no longer cooperating in the war with the drugs.

Georgian president Saakashvili addressed the United Nations General Assembly. He said that Georgia approved of the investigation of the causes of the war and would fully cooperate with the investigators.

The EU monitors landed in Georgia.

24 September 2008
On 24 September 2008, a Russian military truck was arrested near the village of Odzisi in the Mtskheta Municipality. The truck contained ammunitions and explosives. The Russian driver said he had lost his way. He was handed over to OSCE observers.

The Georgian authorities announced that the museum of Joseph Stalin in Gori would be transformed into the museum of the Russian aggression.

25 September 2008
On 25 September 2008, Le Nouvel Observateur reported that anonymous high-ranking Russian official said that Putin had declared at the closed government meeting that the war with Georgia showed that the moment arrived when Russia could oppose the West. Putin believed that while the Baltic states were forever lost, Russia still had a chance to restore its hegemony over the rest of the Soviet territory and was waiting for the next probable opportunity in Crimea. The official said that the union of Russia, Belarus, South Ossetia and Abkhazia would be created soon.

Presidents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia appealed to the President of Belarus to recognize their independence.

Vladimir Putin said that the border between Russia and South Ossetia could be abolished. He further said that relations with Georgia would be restored in the future. He said that ties with the civilian sector in Georgia should be maintained.

Bombing claimed the life of a 13-year-old South Ossetian resident in the suburb of Tskhinvali. Abkhaz foreign minister Sergei Shamba accused Georgia of terrorism.

As of 25 September 2008, 53 of the Georgian soldiers buried at the Mukhatgverdi military cemetery were still unidentified.

26-27 September 2008
On 26 September 2008, Georgian president Saakashvili said in an interview with Newsweek that "For nationalists in Russia, the Russian Empire will not be back until Crimea is back."

United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned the Russian companies against the beginning of mining in Abkhazia and South Ossetia or the relations with Russia would be reconsidered.

On 27 September, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the UN General Assembly session that the European security architecture did not pass the test during the recent war in Georgia. Lavrov said that "Georgian bombing of sleeping city of Tskhinvali" caused an end to Georgia's territorial integrity.

29 September 2008
By 29 September 2008, the entire staff of the EU monitoring mission had arrived in Georgia.

Eduard Kokoity announced that South Ossetia would put Georgian president Saakashvili on the wanted list as a "war criminal".

30 September 2008
On 30 September 2008, Georgian police arrested several residents of Senaki who were spying for Russia.

Russian ambassador Vyacheslav Kovalenko left Georgia along with other workers of the Russian embassy.

The Russian forces near Karaleti attempted to bar the entry of the EU observers into the "buffer zone" bordering South Ossetia. The Russian forces in South Ossetia announced that European monitors would not be admitted into the "buffer zone" bordering South Ossetia.

Georgian Interior Ministry official Shota Utiashvili reported that the Russian spy drone fell down in Akhalgori Municipality.

93 Georgian servicemen were given awards for their participation in the war.

1-2 October 2008
On 1 October 2008, the European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia began operation in Georgia.

The South Ossetian authorities accused Georgian saboteurs of firing on a car with 3 Ossetians in the village of Diseu.

The Secretary of the Security Council of Russia, Nikolai Patrushev, said that nuclear weapons could be deployed on the territories of Ukraine and Georgia if they became NATO members.

President Medvedev said that there were no ideological differences between the USA and Russia which could lead to a war between two countries.

On 2 October 2008, Tbilisi City court confirmed previous court ruling that the Russian company MegaFon had to pay fines for illegal operation in South Ossetia.

3-5 October 2008
On 3 October 2008, seven Russian soldiers were killed and another seven wounded by a car bomb that exploded near the Russian military base in Tskhinvali. Among them was Colonel Ivan Petrik, the peacekeeper's Chief of Staff. The attack was denounced by the French Presidency of the European Union. The Russians accused the Georgians of orchestrating the "terrorist attack", claiming that just before the blast, the Russians had seized two cars with four Georgians and munitions, which were taken to Tskhinvali. Interfax was told by a military spokesman, "During the search of one of the cars, an explosive device equivalent to some 20kg of TNT went off." The South Ossetian leader accused Georgia of "state terrorism", adding, " We have no doubt that these terrorist acts are the work of Georgia special forces." The Georgian government blamed Russia for the incident, with the Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili describing it as a provocation aimed to prolong Russian military presence in Georgia. Georgian official also said only Ossetians could enter the area controlled by Russia and suggested that only "geniuses" could arrange the stealing and transportation by the Ossetians. Russian newspaper Kommersant also speculated that the attack could be used by Russia as a pretext to prolong its military presence in the buffer zones bordering South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The Government of South Ossetia announced on 5 October that financial aid would be given to the families of the killed and wounded peacekeepers. Anonymous South Ossetian official reported that the car had belonged to the OSCE convoy.

By 5 October 2008, four Georgian citizens escaped from the South Ossetian captivity.

On 5 October 2008, the Russian forces began disassembling checkpoints near the Abkhaz boundary. The Russians disassembled a checkpoint and withdrew from Nabakhtevi. The Russian forces lowered the Flag of Russia in Nadarbazevi.

6 October 2008
On 6 October 2008, the Georgian village of Pakhulani (uk) near the Abkhaz boundary was attacked overnight with grenade launchers from Abkhazia. The last blast at around 08:00 coincided with the arrival of the EU observers. A blast took place near the car convoy of the Russian peacekeepers and the EU monitors near the Enguri Dam. Abkhaz border guard was shot near the administrative border between Abkhazia and Georgia. The Russian Foreign Ministry accused "some forces in Tbilisi" of attempting to provoke a new war.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry gave permission to the Swiss embassy to represent the interests of Russia.

South Ossetia decided to open border with Georgia.

On 6 October 2008, Abkhaz representatives visited the European Parliament and attended a hearing organized by Cem Özdemir.

7-9 October 2008
On 7 October 2008, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church did not accept the Abkhaz and South Ossetian eparchies into a constituent body of the Russian Orthodox Church. This decision was influenced by the Georgian church's support of Moscow's jurisdiction over the Ukrainian church. According to Protodeacon Andrey Kuraev, the Russian Orthodox Church broke up with the Kremlin's line because it did not want to lose the only Orthodox ally amidst the pending dispute with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

On 8 October 2008, Russian president Medvedev said in Évian-les-Bains that NATO membership of Georgia and Ukraine "means gaining an upper hand on Russia, while not to receive means capitulating before Russia."

The Russian military announced that the last Russian forces had left the buffer zone bordering South Ossetia by 20:30 on 8 October.

On 9 October 2008, the Council of the heads of the Foreign ministries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) adopted a resolution in Bishkek terminating the mandate of the CIS peacekeeping force in Abkhazia.

The Russian forces abandoned all posts in Zugdidi and Tsalenjikha districts. Georgian interior minister Vano Merabishvili called on the population of the "buffer areas" to return to their homes. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the buffer zones bordering Abkhazia and South Ossetia would now be monitored by the EU mission.

12-14 October 2008
On 12 October 2008, an editorial published by South Ossetian OSInform Information Agency suggested that the time has come to demand the return of the Truso gorge, Gud gorge, and the Kobi structural basin from Georgia.

The Russian Defence Ministry rejected the Georgian allegation that the Russian military planes had flown into Georgia's airspace.

On 13 October 2008, the South Ossetian authorities alleged that a Georgian armed unit had made an unauthorized incursion into South Ossetia to terrorize the residents of South Ossetia before withdrawing.

On 14 October 2008, Andrey Illarionov, former adviser to Vladimir Putin, told EUobserver that if Saakashvili had not engaged the Russo-Ossetian forces in Tskhinvali on 7 August 2008 and resisted their advance on Tbilisi for several days, his government would have been deposed and Igor Giorgadze would have been installed as the leader of Georgia.

South Ossetian authorities accused Georgia of kidnapping 2 employees of the South Ossetian interior ministry, while South Ossetia's Presidential Commissioner for Human Rights David Sanakoev accused Georgia of intentionally provoking tensions.

Russian journalist Maxim Kalashnikov wrote that the Russian army units deployed during the war to South Ossetia were in poor condition. He also wrote that the operation to take Crimea was being considered; however, capturing Crimea would be three times more difficult than the operation against Georgia.

15-16 October 2008
On 15 October 2008, Russian analyst Vyacheslav Nikonov gave an interview to Der Spiegel on the aftermath of the Russo-Georgian war. He said that Russia could no longer guarantee Ukraine's territorial integrity if the war began between Crimea and Ukraine's central government. He further said that Ukraine posed more threat for Russia than Georgia.

On 15 October 2008, talks began between Georgia, Russia and the United States in Geneva. Russian and Georgian NGOs urged the participants to pay attention to the human rights. Abkhaz delegation participated in a separate meeting and did not meet the Georgian side. Georgian president Saakashvili announced that the Russian side abandoned the negotiations prematurely.

On 16 October 2008, First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Sergei Ivanov announced that Russian military orders in 2009 would total 1.3 trillion Russian rubles (US $50 billion). Such large military spending was linked to the war in South Ossetia. In comparison, Russian military spending was 113 billion rubles in 2003.

South Ossetian Interior Minister Mikhail Mindzaev declared that international monitors bring no benefits.

17-19 October 2008
On 17 October 2008, the Russian State Duma adopted a statement calling on the international community to exert pressure on Georgia to accept the return of Meskhetian Turks. Nino Burjanadze rhetorically asked the host of Echo of Moscow on 9 November why Russia was not giving Russian passports to Meskhetian Turks living in Krasnodar Krai while Russian passports were quickly awarded to the residents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

It was reported that the Russian law enforcement agencies believed that the recently activated militants in Ingushetia were acting on orders from the Georgian special agencies.

On 18 October 2008, the Georgian media reported that a bridge in the village of Adzva in Gori Municipality was partially blown up allegedly by Ossetians.

On 18 October 2008, according to South Ossetia, a police post was fired upon from an ethnic Georgian village, with no casualties. South Ossetian Interior Minister Mikhail Mindzaev called the incident as part of a series of provocations by Georgia. South Ossetian police were given orders to return fire should they be on the receiving end of a firing from the Georgian side.

On 19 October 2008, the Georgian village of Khurcha near the Abkhaz boundary was attacked with mortars and grenades.

The Russian forces did not allow the entry of Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried and the convoy of the US embassy into occupied Akhalgori Municipality.

Latvian television channel TV3 accused a worker of the Russian embassy in Latvia of preparing an assassination of Georgian president Saakashvili in 2004.

21-24 October 2008
On 21 October 2008, the police car was blown up by a mine near the village of Avnevi and one policeman was injured.

South Ossetian authorities announced that the governmental commission on the boundary delimitation would be established; however, the border with Georgia would not yet be demarcated.

On 22 October, three Abkhaz, including the head of the Abkhaz military intelligence, were killed in Gali district. Abkhaz president Sergei Bagapsh said that the murder of the head of the Abkhaz military intelligence was the "terrorist attack" by Georgia.

On 23 October 2008, Georgian official Shota Utiashvili reported that the number of the Russian forces deployed in South Ossetia had grown by 2,000 troops and the total number now was 7,000. However, the Russian defense and foreign ministries rejected this report.

Sergey Lavrov claimed that the EU monitors were ignoring the Georgian military build-up near Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which could cause "dangerous clashes". Russian journalist arrived in the buffer zone near South Ossetia and did not see any Georgian forces contrary to Lavrov's claim on the Georgian violation of the Sarkozy-Medvedev agreement.

On 24 October 2008, the Georgian Interior Ministry reported that the Russians had blown up the bridge connecting Abkhazia with the Zugdidi Municipality.

25-27 October 2008
On 25 October 2008, a bomb exploded in the Georgian village near the administrative border with Abkhazia killing the governor of Georgia's Tsalenjikha Municipality, Giorgi Mebonia. One Abkhaz serviceman was wounded in Gali district that day.

On 26 October 2008, Bagapsh accused Georgia of terrorism and attempting to "detach the Gali district" from Abkhazia. Bagapsh accused the European monitors of pro-Georgian bias. In the evening, Abkhaz authorities accused Georgia of having opened fire on the border post.

On 27 October 2008, Russian military expert Pavel Felgenhauer wrote that the hostilities between Russia and Georgia could resume in early 2009 as the economic stagnation would worsen.

Member of the Abkhaz parliament said that some Georgian villages near the Abkhaz border were historical Abkhaz territories, which were "illegally" given to Georgia during the Soviet era, and Abkhazia would get them back.

Russia summoned an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the situation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The EU monitors met with South Ossetian interior minister Mikhail Mindzaev, which was the first meeting between the EU mission and the South Ossetian authorities.

28-31 October 2008
On 28 October 2008, the commander of the Georgian peacekeepers, Mamuka Kurashvili, told the Georgian parliamentary commission on the causes of the war that he witnessed how the Russian warplanes bombed the Russian peacekeeping posts.

On 29 October 2008, the Russian State Duma ratified cooperation agreements with Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Member of the State Duma Semyon Bagdasarov said that Georgia was a "small mini-empire" and Russia had to "confederate Georgia". He said that Russia had to direct propaganda on the regional minorities of Georgia and transform Georgia into Lebanon. Bagdasarov also stated that Saakashvili's resignation would not cause Georgia's pro-USA policy to change. In response, Georgian MP Petre Mamradze said that the Russian special services had plans for partitioning Georgia into 6-7 parts and their annexation already back in the 90s.

On 31 October 2008, a bridge connecting South Ossetia with the undisputed Georgian territory was destroyed in a blast.

The Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision claimed that Georgia was responsible for the outbreak of African swine fever virus in Stavropol Krai.

November 2008
On 10 November 2008, in the morning two Georgian policemen were killed and three injured after the police car was exploded by a mine near the village of Dvani.

January 2009
On 19 January 2009, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev banned arms trade and military co-operation with Georgia until December 2011. According to RIA Novosti, "countries or individuals found to be in breach of these regulations will face economic and financial sanctions."

On 19 and 21 January, Russia demanded that Georgian military installations to be checked by Russian experts per a 1999 Vienna OSCE resolution on confidence and security-building measures; however, these calls were turned down by Georgia.

On 23 January 2009, Russia expressed concern over "Georgia's expanding military presence on the borders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia." Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had claimed earlier that the EU monitors had confirmed the Georgian build-up.

On 26 January 2009, Russian junior sergeant Alexander Glukhov appeared in Tbilisi. He gave press interviews at McDonald's in the presence of Georgian Interior Ministry officials. The 21-year-old claimed that bad living conditions and problems with his superior forced him to desert. According to Georgian interior ministry, the right to stay in Georgia was requested by the soldier. The soldier declared that he applied for political asylum in Georgia. Russia requested Glukhov's release, claiming that he might be tortured.

February 2009
On 2 February 2009, at a meeting with the EU representatives, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko raised concerns over alleged Georgian buildup near South Ossetia.

On 6 February 2009, Georgia submitted the application against Russia to the European Court of Human Rights, continuing the process that began on 11 August 2008.

In late February 2009, Pavel Felgenhauer, a military analyst, said that Russia intended to provoke the death of the Russian soldier and invade Georgia from South Ossetia in order to topple the Saakashvili government.

April 2009
On 22 April 2009, automatic firearms fire was reported on the administrative border between Georgia and South Ossetia. Both sides accused each other for the incident.

May 2009
On 6 May 2009, former U.S. Ambassadors to Georgia William Harrison Courtney and Kenneth Spencer Yalowitz, and the former European Commission ambassador to Georgia, Denis Corboy, said that Russian military buildup and Moscow's anger over the "unfinished business" of the August 2008 war could cause a "new tragedy" in Georgia and called on the United States to work to avoid a new conflict.

August 2009
On 1 August 2009, Russian Defense Ministry said that in the prior days, Georgia had fired on the South Ossetian territory. The EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) said its monitors in the area did not see any evidence of the Georgian attack. Earlier, the EUMM had said that four blasts occurred inside South Ossetia due to unknown reasons. The EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia also said that its monitors could not make "more complete assessment of the situation on the ground" since they were barred from South Ossetia.

On 1 August 2009, The Telegraph reported that at least 28 Georgian policemen observing the boundary near South Ossetia had become casualties since the end of hostilities in August 2008.

On 3 August 2009, Georgian TV reported that Georgian and Russian checkpoints were attacked by South Ossetians with grenades. Georgian interior ministry reported that the vicinity of Plavismani was attacked at 21:30. South Ossetia accused Georgia of shelling South Ossetian territory from Plavismani at 22:05.

RIA Novosti published an interview with South Ossetian president Eduard Kokoity. Kokoity said that he rejected the possibility of a new "Georgian aggression". He said he would demand ceding of the Truso Gorge (part of the Georgian administrative unit of Mtskheta-Mtianeti) to South Ossetia. He also talked about Georgian president Saakashvili: "As for that lover of wars and bellicose slogans, that international criminal, I would advise him to be careful. Considering his behavior, Georgia has a shortage of mental hospitals."

It was reported that a situation was escalating before the war's first anniversary. The European Union called on "all sides to refrain from any statement or action that may lead to increased tensions at this particularly sensitive time." On 4 August 2009, the Georgian Foreign Ministry deplored Russian "deliberate attempts" to raise tensions. Mikheil Saakashvili asked the US and EU to defuse the tensions.

Yulia Latynina stated that as soon U.S. Vice President Joe Biden declared that the United States would not supply arms to Georgia, the past year's scenario began repeating. Latynina criticized Kokoity's allegation that Tskhinvali had come under fire from the Georgian village of Nikozi, because Nikozi had already been wiped off the map by South Ossetia. Latynina ruled out the repetition of last year's Gleiwitz scenario because the world's attention was now focused on South Ossetia unlike in 2008. Latynina concluded that if the conflict was renewed, nobody would believe that Kokoity was responsible and instead the blame would fall on Putin.

Close to the one year anniversary of the start of the war, internet attacks occurred that targeted one Georgian user. The Twitter account of a Georgian blogger, Cyxymu came under attack, leading to a several-hour-long downtime of the entire service.

On 14 August 2009, Shota Utiashvili, Georgia's Interior Ministry representative, said that the South Ossetian side had confessed to shelling of the Georgian villages.

September 2009
In late September 2009, the blast took place with no casualties near the village of Ergneti, south of Tskhinvali, 40 minutes before talks between the Georgian, South Ossetian, and Russian representatives.