Georgian troops launched a major military offensive Friday to regain control over the breakaway province of South Ossetia, prompting a furious response from Russia – it sent planes and tanks into the region. Georgia has lost control of parts of the South Ossetian rebel capital of Tskhinvali amid Russian bombardment, a spokesman for Georgia's interior ministry said. “Russian armed forces are bombarding Tskhinvali,” the spokesman said, confirming Russia's RIA news agency report. South Ossetian separatist leader Eduard Kokoity on Friday said “hundreds of civilians have been killed in fighting in Tskhinvali,” Interfax news agency reported. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said Russia was fighting a war with his country and that Georgians were “looking with hope” to America, but he did not specifically appeal for US help. Russia will cut air links to Georgia from midnight (2000 GMT), Russian news agencies said, quoting the transport ministry in Moscow. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has warned that the Georgian attack would draw retaliation. The European Union, United States and NATO led international calls for an immediate end to the violence amid fears of an all-out war between Russia and Georgia. The UN Security Council was to resume emergency talks later Friday on the escalating fighting, a Belgian diplomat said. The fighting was the worst outbreak of hostilities since the province won de-facto independence in a war that ended in 1992 – raising fears that war could once again erupt and draw in Russia, which has close ties to the South Ossetians and has peacekeepers in the region.
