Russia Digs In As Georgians, Others Dismiss Compliance Claim
Moscow has withdrawn its tanks, artillery, and troops from positions deep within Georgia, but Russian forces continue to hold the western port of Poti as well as checkpoints near the strategic town of Gori, in central Georgia. General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy head of the Russian General Staff, has announced that Russian forces will maintain control of Poti.

Russia Declares It Has Complied With Georgia Cease-Fire
Russia's declaration that it has complied with the withdrawal terms of its cease-fire with Georgia has been dismissed by a senior Georgian official who says continued Russian checkpoints are in violation of the deal. "Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov has reported to the Commander-in-Chief, [President] Dmitry Medvedev, on the completion of the order to pull out from Georgian territory Russian troops sent to reinforce peacekeepers," a statement issued by the Defense Ministry said.

UN Security Council Divided On Georgia Resolution
Russia has formally submitted a draft resolution in the UN Security Council aimed at ending the conflict in Georgia. The draft reaffirms the six-point peace plan brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and endorsed by his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev.

Georgian Hostages Swapped For Ossetian Fighters In Gori
The past several days have seen exchanges between Russia and Georgia of soldiers taken prisoner during the fighting. But the most recent swap was the first of its kind -- a brokered exchange of Ossetian fighters for Georgian civilians taken hostage in the early days of the war.

Russia In Violation Of UN Charter, Says International Law Expert
Despite the cease-fire agreement between Russia and Georgia, many Russian troops remain in Georgia, where they have been destroying Georgia's military infrastructure. There are reports of ships being sunk, air strikes on military facilities, and destruction of equipment at military bases. Moscow seems unconcerned that it is apparently violating the terms of the agreement it signed.

Captured Russian Pilots Leave Georgia Voicing Gratitude, Regret
Georgia and Russia have carried out their first prisoner swap since their conflict began. Five Russian prisoners, including two pilots, were exchanged for 15 Georgians at a checkpoint near the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. RFE/RL's Georgian Service correspondent Koba Liklikadze was there to see the exchange, and spoke to the two Russian pilots shortly before their handover.

Syrian Leader Highlights Solidarity, Seeks Arms, In Visit To Russia
Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, in Russia on a two-day visit, backed Moscow's military action against Georgia at talks with President Dmitry Medvedev that were expected to cover purchases of Russian arms. The show of solidarity by Damascus, a Soviet-era ally of Moscow, raises images of a return to Cold War alignments.

Medvedev Assures Israel Of Close Ties While Hosting Assad
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev phoned Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday to assure that his nation’s ties with Israel remained steady despite recent tensions created by the IDF’s training and equipping of the Georgian army. Yet Medvedev also welcomed Syrian President Bashar Assad to his Black Sea dachau on Thursday to discuss advanced arms sales to Damascus and even an appeal to place Russian missile batteries on Syrian soil.