Russia indifferent to Western alliance

Russia has advised the world to "forget about" Georgia's territorial integrity. On the other hand American and Georgian officials said Russia appeared to be targeting military infrastructures, including radars and patrol boats at a Black Sea naval base and oil hub.
Russian comment appeared to challenge the United States. The US President had called for Russia to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.
"Our position on Georgia's territorial integrity is not going to change no matter what anybody says," White House press secretary Dana Perino said Thursday. "And so I would consider that to be bluster from the foreign minister of Russia. We will ignore it."

Ready to absorb
In another development Russian president met with the leaders of Georgia's two separatist provinces today. It’s a clear sign that Moscow would absorb the regions. The Russian refusal to withdraw from Georgia presents a challenge to the cease-fire agreement designed to end seven days of fighting. The EU-sponsored accord had envisioned Russian and Georgian forces returning to their original positions.
In Washington, an American official said Russia appears to be sabotaging airfields and other military infrastructure as its forces pull back. The Russian strategy seems like a deliberate attempt to cripple the already battered Georgian military.
The United States poured aid into the Georgian capital of Tbilisi on Thursday and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice launched emergency talks in France aimed at heading off a wider conflict.

Expression of doubt
Russia's deputy chief of General Staff Col.-Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn said he was not sure that the U.S. planes carried exclusively humanitarian cargo. "It causes our concern," he said.