PHOTO:EAST NEWS/AFP A South Ossetian man shoots in the air as he celebrates the recognition of the South Ossetian independence by the Russian Federation on August 26 in Tskhinvali. Russia on August 26, 2008 formally recognised the Georgian rebel regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states in a startling new challenge to the West. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced the recognition after meeting top ministers and defence chiefs on the Georgia crisis, ignoring warnings from Western powers against the move, which France and Britain immediately condemned.

PHOTO:EAST NEWS/AFP Georgian troops fire rockets at seperatist South Ossetian troops from an unnamed location not far from Tskhinvali on August 8, 2008. Georgia is taking measures to prevent Russian "mercenaries" from infiltrating the country, Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze said as Georgian forces attacked the Russian-backed breakaway province of South Ossetia

PHOTO:EAST NEWS/AFP Georgian troops ride in armoured personnel carriers during the conflict with seperatist South Ossetian troops at an unnamed location not far from Tskhinvali on August 8, 2008. Georgia is taking measures to prevent Russian "mercenaries" from infiltrating the country, Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze said as Georgian forces attacked the Russian-backed breakaway province of South Ossetia.

PHOTO:EAST NEWS/AFP Georgian troops ride in a tank during the conflict with separatist South Ossetian troops at an unnamed location not far from Tskhinvali on August 8, 2008. Georgia is taking measures to prevent Russian "mercenaries" from infiltrating the country, Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze said as Georgian forces attacked the Russian-backed breakaway province of South Ossetia.

PHOTO:EAST NEWS/AFP Russian peacekeepers guard on their outpost at South Ossetian border in an unknown location in Georgia on August 7, 2008. The Georgian government has decided to "restore constitutional order" in its breakaway region of South Ossetia, the head of Georgian peacekeepers in the province said