Georgian troops 'pull out as Russian warships arrive'

Georgian troops pulled out of the capital of the breakaway province of South Ossetia today under massive Russian shelling, Georgian officials said.

Georgia's Reintegration Minister Temur Yakobashvili said the Georgian troops left Tskhinvali to change their location, but remain in South Ossetia.

The news came ahead of a report that Russian warships had arrived today at the Georgian Black Sea coast on Sunday. The RIA news agency quoted a Russian navy source as saying: "The missile cruiser Moscow, the warship Smetlivy and backup vessels arrived at their destination this morning."

Meanwhile Mr Yakobashvili said the pullout would help provide a humanitarian corridor to evacuate those wounded from Tskhinvali.

The city has been ravaged by fierce battles since Friday, when Georgian troops launched an offensive to regain control over South Ossetia. Russia responded by sending in tanks and troops and bombing Georgian territory.

Georgia's Security Council chief Alexander Lomaia said the Georgian troops had to move out of Tskhinvali because of heavy Russian fire.

"Russia further escalated its aggression overnight, using weapons on unprecedented scale," Lomaia said. "In these conditions our forces conducted redeployment."

A Russian general said yesterday that his troops had driven Georgian forces out Tskhinvali and were moving to push them away from heights overlooking the city.

But another Russian officer, Gen. Marat Kulakhmetov, said intensive fighting for the city continued overnight and in the morning.