On occasion of the 3rd anniversary of recognition of its independence by Russia, South Ossetia has closed the border with Georgia to avoid any escalation of the situation, Georgian media reported.
On August 23, Russian Foreign Ministry said that Georgia “is plotting a provocative act” at the border with Ossetia. Official Tbilisi refuted the information.
During the night of August 7 to 8, 2008, Georgia launched a large-scale military attack against South Ossetia, in an attempt to reconquer the territory. The following day Russia reacted by deploying combat troops in South Ossetia and launching bombing raids deep into Georgia. Russian and Ossetian soldiers clashed with Georgian soldiers in the four-day Battle of Tskhinvali, the main battle of the war. On August 9, Russian naval forces blockaded a part of the Georgian coast and landed marines on the Abkhaz coast. Russian and Abkhaz forces opened a second front by attacking the Kodori Gorge, held by Georgia and entered western parts of Georgia's interior. After five days of heavy fighting, the Georgian forces were routed, enabling the Russians to enter uncontested Georgia and occupy the cities of Poti, Gori, Senaki, and Zugdidi.
After mediation by the French presidency of the European Union, the parties reached a preliminary ceasefire agreement on 12 August, signed by Georgia on 15 August in Tbilisi and by Russia on 16 August in Moscow. On 12 August, President Medvedev had already ordered a halt to Russian military operations, but fighting did not stop immediately. After signing the ceasefire agreement, Russia pulled most of its troops out of uncontested Georgia, but established buffer zones around Abkhazia and South Ossetia and also created check-points in Georgia's interior, (Poti, Senaki, Perevi).
On August 26, 2008 Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia completed its withdrawal from uncontested Georgia on October 8, but as of 2009 Russian forces remain stationed in Abkhazia and South Ossetia under bilateral agreements with the corresponding governments. However, according to a number of European and U.S. sources, Russia has not fully complied with the peace agreement because Georgia lost control of some of its territories.
