Inside Story asks who the likely winners and losers are in the conflict over South Ossetia and who has the power to bring it to an end.

On Friday, August 8, Georgia launched a military offensive against its breakaway republic of South Ossetia. Artillery shelling and tanks have reportedly reduced the region's capital Tskhinvaly to ruins. Russia has sent its army to help peacekeepers stop the violence.

Georgia is reportedly moving tanks, artillery and troops to the border with its breakaway republic of South Ossetia. It follows days of shelling and skirmishes between the sides. Russia is leading diplomatic efforts to stop a full-scale conflict.

Georgia wouldn't have attacked South Ossetia without the green light from the U.S, believes Paul Craig Roberts, a former assistant secretary to the treasury in Ronald Reagan's administration.

Saakashvili's crimes in S. Ossetia.

A convoy of Russian tanks and military vehicles is reportedly on its way to the capital of Georgia's breakaway republic. It comes after President Dmitry Medvedev promised that "Russia will not close its eyes on the deaths of Russian citizens in South Ossetia." Several Russian peacekeepers have been killed in clashes with Georgian forces.

Russian ground forces are battling Georgian troops in and around the capital of the breakaway region of South Ossetia. Georgia now says Russia's actions could bring the country into full scale war. Al Jazeera's Jonah Hull is one of the few international reporters near the frontline and sent this report from the South Ossetia border.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has declared that Russia will recognise the independence of Georgia's breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. He made the announcement in Sochi following a unanimous vote for the republics' independence by both houses of the Russian Parliament in Moscow on Monday.

RT military analyst Evgeny Khruschev says the new Georgia -- South Ossetia conflict is not the first attempt of Georgia to conduct ethnic cleansing of its neighbours.

The truth about South Ossetia War, Georgia attack, and Russian

american citizen joe mestas was vacationing in south ossetia with his wife and five year old daughter. mr. mestas' wife is from south ossetia and mr. mastas has been in the area many times. mr. mestas said that since the united states has been supporting georgia that he though that there would be some control over the situation and that it would be a peaceful resolution. mr. mestas says that what is happening in south ossetia is not just the war it is war crimes. mr. mestas says that "george bush and [georgian president mikhail] saakashvili should answer for the crimes that are being committed. the killing of innocent people...and the running over with tanks of women and children and throwing grenades into cellars to kill innocent people, war is supposed to be military against military - georgians are killing innocent civilians - they're committing genocide." when asked by the russia today interviewer if he wanted washington to step in, mr. mastas replied "i urge every american who may be watching this broadcast right now, to call their senators, their congressmen, the white house and tell george bush to get out! america does not need to intervene in this war -- america needs to stop supporting georgia. what saakashvili is doing is no better than what saddam hussein did and if george bush is supporting that, like hes supporting georgia, he's no better than saddam hussein." http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/28788/video ==== http://wesawthat.blogspot.com/2008/08/video-interview-of-american-joe-mestas.html

The shelling of the capital of Georgia's breakaway republic of South Ossetia has now stopped. Tskhinvali and the surrounding area were the focus of fierce fighting for more than 24 hours. South Ossetian authorities claim 1400 people have been killed.

The consequences of Russias recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia come under the microscope in todays programme. President Medvedev says the military conflict in South Ossetia has killed any hope of peaceful co-existence between Ossetians, Abkhazians and Georgians within one country. But Georgias allies in the West condemned Russias decision. Well consider two opposing points of view on the issue. Our guests are politician and academic Vladimir Medinsky and journalist Konstantin Remchukov.

Genocide is a deliberate destruction, completely or partially, of an ethnic, religious, or national group, say the reference-books. And according to experts, this is what Georgia has been doing with Ossetians over the centuries.

Georgian forces have launched a massive military offensive to take control of its breakaway republic of South Ossetia. Fighter planes and heavy artillery are bombarding the capital Tskhinvali and fighting is raging in the outskirts. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has begun an emergency debate on the situation after a request from Russia.

The leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) have signed a joint declaration on recent developments in the Caucasus at a meeting in Moscow on Friday. The group also expressed its support of Russia's reaction to Georgian aggression against South Ossetia.

Today we will talk about Nicaragua. This Latin American country has always been a close ally of Moscow. In Soviet times this alliance was based on military and financial supply. After the collapse of the USSR the friendship ended, but these days it has been restored. What is the basis for the alliance this time? Our guest to tell us more is the Foreign Minister of Nicaragua Samuel Santos Lopez.

Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia has brought virtually their entire populations onto the streets to mark the event. There has been celebratory gunfire in the capital Tskhinval, and even strangers are hugging and praying together, hoping it brings an end to their suffering. Similar scenes have occurred in Sukhum, the capital of Abkhazia.

Rustavi 2 - Toma Chageishvili - South Ossetia - 02/04 VIDEO: http://www.rustavi2.com/videos/coming_soon_051215.wmv SUBTITLES (NEED CORRECTION): http://www.demokratija.lt/uploaded/video/Rustavi2-TomaChageishvili-SouthOssetia-SRTSubtitles.zip

Simon Reeve (Equator) and BBC travel documentary film crew discover a weapons store with a massive amount of unexploded TNT in South Ossetia. Interesting video from BBC show 'Holidays in the Danger Zone.'

Members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation have signed a declaration in support of Russia's peacekeeping mission in South Ossetia. The member states expressed support for Russia's peacekeeping efforts, but pointed out any solution must be based on the principle of territorial integrity.

Self-proclaimed South Ossetia is insisting on its independence from the former Soviet republic of Georgia, in the Caucasus egion. Brussels, Washington, Moscow and Tbilisi are on a diplomatic storm-watch over the impoverished and tiny yet strategically valuable territory.

More than 2,000 people were killed in South Ossetia, most of them civilians -- and more than 30,000 fled the conflict zone seeking refuge in Russia's North Ossetia. But leaving everything behind, they're still desperate to know the fate of their loved ones who remain in Tskhinvali.

The five days of fighting in South Ossetia have left more than a thousand people killed and tens of thousands homeless. Following Georgia's attack on its breakaway republic, it's hard to find a citizen who hasn't lost a relative in the conflict. Convoys of refugees continue to stream into Russia's southern regions, where they are being provided with food and shelter.

Georgian forces have launched a massive military offensive to take control of its breakaway republic of South Ossetia. Fighter planes and heavy artillery are bombarding the capital Tskhinvali and fighting is raging in the outskirts. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has begun an emergency debate on the situation after a request from Russia.