러시아 “그루지아 내 완충지대로 철군 완료”

러시아 국방장관은 22일 그루지아에서 러시아군이 모두 철수했으며 그루지아 내 완충지대에만 병력이 남아있다고 밝혔습니다.

아나톨리 세르듀코프 러시아 국방장관은 성명을 통해 이같이 발표했습니다. 앞서 그루지아에 있는 외신기자들은 러시아 군 트럭과 장갑차들이 그루지아내 자치공화국인 남오세티아와 압하지아를 향해 떠났다고 확인했습니다.

러시아의 한 고위장성은 남오세티아 주변의 완충지대 안에 있는 18개 검문소에 러시아 병력을 계속 배치할 것이라고 말했습니다.

러시아는 이달 초 그루지아군이 독립을 원하는 남오세티아를 공격하자 이에 맞대응해 그루지아를 침공했습니다.

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Russia's defense minister says his country's forces have completed their withdrawal from Georgia under a French-mediated cease-fire, leaving only troops manning a security zone in the Caucasus country.

Minister Anatoly Serdyukov issued his statement today (Friday) after journalists confirmed the departure of columns of trucks and armor heading north toward Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

A top Russian general in Moscow (General Anatoly Nogovitsyn)said the country's troops will maintain 18 checkpoints in a security zone around South Ossetia, which includes the airport near the town of Senaki.

But the extent of Russia's final withdrawal remains unclear, as Russian military officials say their troops will maintain checkpoints along Georgia's main east-west highway.

In Washington, a State Department spokesman(Robert Wood) confirmed that Russian forces have begun leaving Georgia. But he said that, without a doubt, the Russians are failing to adhere to the French-mediated cease-fire agreement. He cited the establishment of checkpoints and the security zone as violations.