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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Russia 'starts Georgia pull-out' | Russia 'starts Georgia pull-out' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Russia says its troops have started pulling back from a "buffer zone" around Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia. | Russia says its troops have started pulling back from a "buffer zone" around Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia. |
| A BBC correspondent in the area said he saw Russian forces dismantling and leaving one checkpoint they had set up. | A BBC correspondent in the area said he saw Russian forces dismantling and leaving one checkpoint they had set up. |
| Moscow must pull its troops from areas around South Ossetia and Abkhazia - another breakaway region in Georgia - by Friday under a ceasefire deal. | Moscow must pull its troops from areas around South Ossetia and Abkhazia - another breakaway region in Georgia - by Friday under a ceasefire deal. |
| Russia has kept troops there since ousting Georgian forces in August. | Russia has kept troops there since ousting Georgian forces in August. |
| See a map of the region | See a map of the region |
| A number of Russian armoured personnel carriers were seen heading towards South Ossetia, news agencies report. | |
| The commander of Russian troops on the ground said the withdrawal from all six checkpoints would be completed by the end of the day. | |
| "Everything is completely on track. Everything will be noted and registered in documents," Maj Gen Marat Kulakhmetov said. | |
| The Russian withdrawal is being monitored by some 200 European Union observers. | The Russian withdrawal is being monitored by some 200 European Union observers. |
| The pull-back was agreed in a ceasefire deal brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy in early August. | The pull-back was agreed in a ceasefire deal brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy in early August. |
| But Moscow plans to keep nearly 8,000 troops in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which it has recognised as independent states. | But Moscow plans to keep nearly 8,000 troops in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which it has recognised as independent states. |
| Western leaders have condemned both the buffer zones and Russia's recognition of the two regions. | Western leaders have condemned both the buffer zones and Russia's recognition of the two regions. |
| The EU wants its observers to have access to the breakaway regions, but Russia has repeatedly refused to guarantee that. | The EU wants its observers to have access to the breakaway regions, but Russia has repeatedly refused to guarantee that. |
| The fighting in the region began on 7 August when Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes. | The fighting in the region began on 7 August when Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes. |
| Russia launched a counter-attack and the Georgian troops were ejected from both South Ossetia and Abkhazia days later. | Russia launched a counter-attack and the Georgian troops were ejected from both South Ossetia and Abkhazia days later. |
| Return to story | Return to story |