Russia, Moscow, 11 August / Trend corr. R.Novruzov / The Russian side did not strike blows on the Tbilisi airport, Colonel-General Anatoliy Nogovitsin, the deputy chief of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Armed Forces, said at a news conference in Moscow on 11 August.
"We did not strike blows on the Tbilisi airport, because it is an operating airport and civilians could suffer," Nogovitsin said.
According to Nogovitsin, the blows targeted to the radar, which is located in the territory of the Tbilisi airport.
Large-scale military operations commenced in the unrecognized South Ossetia republic in the early morning of 8 August. Georgian Army was reported to enter Tskhinvali on 9 August. Official Tbilisi says the events are Restoration of the Constitution Regime. The unrecognized South Ossetia wants assistance from Russia. Mobilization of reserved soldiers was announced in Georgia on 10 August.
According to Russian media, there are dead and wounded amongst Russian peacekeepers. The Georgian side informs about 20 dead servicemen. "There are thousands dead and wounded civil people in South Ossetia," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
The Russian Military Air Forces intensively bombed the Georgian cities of Marneuli and Bolnisi, where Azerbaijanis live compactly. Bombing of the Marneuli aerodrome left at least four dead.
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