Earlier reports of Georgian police being allowed back into Gori are now being denied by our sources on the Ground. According to an eyewitness, police forces were told to leave the city, and Russian troops resumed control of Gori. Apparently, the same situation is happening in Poti.

These confusing reports paint a strange picture of the situation in Georgia. This may be due to flaws in the Russian chain of command, or to deliberate attempts to create confusion and generate a sense of volatility on the ground. Another possible reason for these contradictory reports  could be the operation, in parallel, of Russian regulars and so-called ‘volunteers’, or irregular militias.

The same developments are now being reported by Civil.ge