Russia Edges Closer To Proxy War With Georgia

From The Times Online:

Abkhazia: The Frozen Conflict That Is Thawing Rapidly

The young soldier traced his finger across snow-capped mountains and dense forest to the point where he had shot down the Georgian spy plane.

“They are coming practically every day now, but this one was crossing our valley so we took it out,” said Alyas Tsardiya, nodding towards an artillery cannon. Then, to deafening effect, he fired a few rounds in the direction of Georgia.

This is the Kodori Gorge, the tense front line between Georgia and its breakaway region of Abkhazia, that is becoming a flashpoint in the relationship between Russia and the West. This little-known corner of the Caucasus is Dmitri Medvedev’s first big test as President of Russia.

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Update: Georgia's leader vows to prevent Russia reviving the Soviet Union -- The Independent

Update: Russia Claims Georgia in Arms Build Up -- Danger Room

My Comment: Georgia is way over its head on this manner. As much as they would like to keep their country intact, a large number of people in Abkhazia and in Russia have made the decision to break away from the Georgians. The unfortunate thing about this dispute, is that the West is being dragged into this mess.

Russia And Georgia: On The Brink Of War

Britain's Telegraph newspaper reports that Russia has fired missiles into Georgia. The paper states: "Vano Merabishvili, Georgia's interior minister, said that two Sukhoi attack aircraft entered Georgian airspace from Russia at 7:30 pm last night and fired at least one air-to-surface missile towards the village of Tsitelubani, 40 miles west of Tbilisi. The missile carved a 5-metre deep crater into a corn and potato field but failed to detonate." Merabishvili told the paper by telephone: "We cannot understand why this has happened. This village has no political or military importance. But less than 5 kilometres from the area is a Georgian tracking radar, and it is my view and the view of our military that this was the target." Rushing to the scene, Georgia's president Mikhail Saakashvili condemned the raid as an yet another effort to destabilize his nation.

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Update: Russia And Georgia Lock Horns Over Missile