South Ossetia's president, Eduard Kokoity speaks to the media in the breakaway province capital, Tskhinvali, in this image made from television, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008.

In this picture made off APTN video footage, Georgian multiple rocket launchers are seen at a position south of Tskhinvali, Friday morning, Aug. 8, 2008.

In this image from NTV video footage, broadcasted on Thursday Aug. 7, 2008, soldiers of South Ossetia, breakaway Georgian enclave, take a position near Tskhinvali in the South Ossetian breakaway Georgian enclave .

Russian Channel 1 claims this is a convoy of Georgian troops moving towards Tskhinvali in the South Ossetian enclave in Georgia on Friday, Aug. 8, 2008.

In this image, made from television screen, what Russian First Channel claims - are burning Georgian armored vehicles are seen in Tskhinvali in the South Ossetian breakaway region of Georgia on Friday, Aug. 8, 2008

A convoy of Russian tanks moving towards Tskhinvali in the South Ossetian Georgian enclave on Friday, Aug. 8, 2008.

A convoy of Russian tanks moving towards Tskhinvali in the South Ossetian Georgian enclave on Friday, Aug. 8, 2008.

South Ossetian separatist government forces seen at their positions in the breakaway republic's capital, Tskhinvali, in this image made from television, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008

In this image, made from television, Russian tanks are moving towards the breakaway South Ossetia republic's capital, Tskhinvali, on Friday, Aug. 8, 2008. Russia's Defense Ministry says it has sent reinforcements to its peacekeepers deployed to South Ossetia to help end bloodshed. Georgian officials confirmed that the Russian convoy had crossed the border and was advancing toward Tskhinvali. Georgia launched a massive attack Friday to regain control over South Ossetia, using heavy artillery, aircraft and armor. South Ossetian officials said at least 15 people were killed Friday and an unspecified number were wounded. (AP Photo/APTN) ** TV OUT **

In this image, made from television, Russian military vehicles are moving towards the breakaway South Ossetia republic's capital, Tskhinvali, on Friday, Aug. 8, 2008. Russia's Defense Ministry says it has sent reinforcements to its peacekeepers deployed to South Ossetia to help end bloodshed. Georgian officials confirmed that the Russian convoy had crossed the border and was advancing toward Tskhinvali. Georgia launched a massive attack Friday to regain control over South Ossetia, using heavy artillery, aircraft and armor. South Ossetian officials said at least 15 people were killed Friday and an unspecified number were wounded. (AP Photo/APTN) ** TV OUT **

In this image, made from television Russian, self-propelled guns moving towards the breakaway South Ossetia republic's capital, Tskhinvali, on Friday, Aug. 8, 2008. Russia's Defense Ministry says it has sent reinforcements to its peacekeepers deployed to South Ossetia to help end bloodshed. Georgian officials confirmed that the Russian convoy had crossed the border and was advancing toward Tskhinvali. Georgia launched a massive attack Friday to regain control over South Ossetia, using heavy artillery, aircraft and armor. South Ossetian officials said at least 15 people were killed Friday and an unspecified number were wounded. (AP Photo/APTN) ** TV OUT **

In this image, made from a television screen, soldiers of South Ossetia, a breakaway Georgian enclave, armed with shoulder-launched missiles, are seen ready for action against Georgian planes, in South Ossetia,on Friday, Aug. 8, 2008. Georgian troops launched a major military offensive Friday to regain control over the breakaway province of South Ossetia, prompting a furious response from Russia , which vowed retaliation and sent tanks into the region. Dozens were reported dead. (AP Photo/NTV Russian Channel) ** TV OUT **

Georgian soldiers stand at their positions in the ethnic Georgian village of Ergneti, on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2008. Six people died in fighting that broke out late Friday and early Saturday, including sniper and mortar fire between South Ossetian and Georgian forces. The breakaway republic of South Ossetia split from Georgia in the early 1990's after a brief but violent conflict. (AP Photo/George Abdaladze)

In this image, made from television screen, tanks of of South Ossetia, a breakaway Georgian enclave, readied for possible action against Georgian troops, in South Ossetia,on Friday, Aug. 8, 2008. Georgian troops launched a major military offensive Friday to regain control over the breakaway province of South Ossetia, prompting a furious response from Russia , which vowed retaliation and sent tanks into the region. Dozens were reported dead. (AP Photo/NTV Russian Channel) ** TV OUT **

A Russian armored vehicle is seen through a car windscreen, in Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia, near the capital Tskhinvali, on Friday, Aug. 8, 2008.

South Ossetia residents look out from the window of a vehicle as they are evacuated from the breakaway Georgia's province of Russia, on Friday, Aug. 8, 2008

Local residents look at a Russian armored vehicle heading towards the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia Friday, Aug. 8, 2008

A column of Russian armored vehicles, headed towards the breakaway republic of South Ossetia's capital Tskhinvali, is seen in North Ossetia, Russia, Friday, Aug. 8, 2008

An unidentified fighter jet drops munitions near the Georgian town of Gori, on Friday, Aug. 8, 2008.

Russian First Channel claims these are burning Georgian armored vehicles are seen in Tskhinvali in the South Ossetian breakaway region of Georgia on Friday, Aug. 8, 2008.

Russia sent troops and tanks into the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia today as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin declared "the war has started".

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "War started today in South Ossetia when Georgia attacked Russian peacekeepers in the disputed region."

Earlier an official in Georgia's National Security Council said Russia invaded Georgia.

Kakha Lamaia said: "If it's not war, then we are very close to it. The Russians have invaded Georgia and we are under attack."

Georgian President Mikhail Saakasvili told CNN: "Russia is fighting a war with us in our own territory.

"This is a clear intrusion on another country's territory. We have Russian tanks on our territory, jets on our territory in broad daylight."

Saakashvili accused its neighbor of a "well-planned invasion" and called on reservists to sign up for duty. He said "150 Russian tanks, armoured personnel carriers and other vehicles" had entered South Ossetia.

The president of the Georgian breakaway region, Eduard Kokoity, was quoted as saying: "About 1,400 people have died. We will check these figures, but the order of the numbers is around this. We have this on the basis of reports from relatives."

Witnesses claim Tskhinvali is devastated. "I saw bodies lying on the streets, around ruined buildings, in cars," said one.

"It's impossible to count them now. There is hardly a single building left undamaged."

The Georgian government said it will try to protect Russian peacekeepers who are in the disputed region. However Russia claims 10 Russian peacekeepers have already been killed.

As the fighting escalates Georgia says it will withdraw 1,000 troops from Iraq and redeploy them to the region.

Nato, the US and the EU are calling for an immediate end to hostilities.

Georgia claims to have shot down five Russian war planes as the two countries fight for control of the breakaway province of South Ossetia.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has vowed to protect Russian citizens in the region.

Medvedev said: "In accordance with the constitution and the federal law, I, as president of Russia, am obliged to protect the lives and dignity of Russian citizens wherever they are located," Mr Medvedev said in televised remarks.

"We won't allow the death of our compatriots to go unpunished."

Georgian troops are currently observing a three-hour ceasefire to let civilians leave the besieged capital, Tskhinvali.

Saakashvili said most of South Ossetia had been "liberated" in an overnight offensive.

"Most of South Ossetia's territory is liberated and is controlled by Georgia," Saakashvili said in televised comments today.

"Russian flights are ongoing in the centre of Tskhinvali (the South Ossetian capital)... I demand Russia stop bombardment of peaceful Georgian cities."

Video from Russia Today

Georgia launches offensive in South Ossetia

By Shaun Walker in Moscow

According to the Russian agency Interfax, a large group of Georgian soldiers moved towards the breakaway capital, Tskhinvali, late yesterday evening.

The separatist President, Eduard Kokoity, told the agency that "the storming of Tskhinvali has started" and said that separatist forces were engaged with the Georgian army on the roads into the city. A statement on the separatist government's website said: "The assault is coming from all directions."

The fear is that Russia could be drawn into the conflict, with previous foreign ministry statements saying that Russia could not remain "indifferent" to an armed skirmish on its southern border. Already late last night there were reports that hundreds of volunteers were on their way from North Ossetia, which is part of Russia, through the Caucasus Mountains to join their ethnic kin in South Ossetia. The leadership of Abkhazia, Georgia's other breakaway state, said that 1,000 volunteers from Abkhazia were also on their way.

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South Ossetia is a tiny territory with a population of around 50,000, which broke away from Georgia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Most of the region is under the control of separatist authorities but the central Georgian government in Tbilisi controls several villages. Tensions have been high in recent months, with frequent exchanges of fire between the sides, but so far all-out war has been avoided. An exchange of fire on Wednesday night left at least one person dead and many injured.

The West has supported Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, who wants to bring his country out of Russia's orbit and into Nato, in his drive to reintegrate the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia into Georgia's fold. However, any military action could harm the country's chances of Nato accession. Russia has provided financial support to the separatist authorities.

It now seems the Georgians may have tired of negotiations and decided to take matters into their own hands. But the timing is bizarre. Negotiations between the separatist authorities and a Georgian minister were planned for this afternoon, and the attack on Tskhinvali came just hours after Mr Saakashvili had announced a unilateral ceasefire on live television.

"I want to acknowledge that several hours ago I, as a supreme commander, have issued a very painful order not to return fire in response to a very intensive shelling [of Georgian villages]," said the Georgian President yesterday evening.

But the ceasefire lasted only hours and Mr Kokoity called Mr Saakashvili's ceasefire a "despicable and treacherous" ruse.

"Despite our call for peace and a unilateral ceasefire, separatists continued the shelling of Georgian villages," said Georgian commander Mamuka Kurashvili. "We are forced to restore constitutional order in the whole region."

And Moscow reacted furiously to the news. "The actions by Georgia in South Ossetia bear witness to the fact that the leadership of that country can no longer be trusted," said a foreign ministry statement.

The Georgian government said it had information about "hundreds of mercenaries, tanks and other equipment" entering South Ossetia through the Roki tunnel from Russia.

Belfast Telegraph