The Russian Defense Ministry warned Georgia on Saturday that it "reserves the right to use all available forces and means to protect the citizens of South Ossetia and Russian servicemen" in case of further Georgian "provocations."
Georgian officials said that statement reflected Moscow's hostile intentions.
Temuri Yakobashvili, a Georgian Cabinet minister, reaffirmed Monday that Georgia has no intention to use force. "There is no military solution to the conflict," he told the AP.
The Georgians foolishly fell into Russia's trap last year by reacting to what appears to be Russian provocations, with Russia's invasion force poised to move when the Georgians overtly acted. Russia failed to actually win the war and settled for a punitive mission that failed to cow anybody in the "near abroad" into passivity and satellite status.
I can't imagine the Georgians would be unwary enough to fall for that again. But Russia would dearly like them to, I'd guess.
