The war was the worst violence since South Ossetia declared independence from Georgia in 1992.

VOA: special.2009.01.03

Another serious blow was the August 2008 five-day war with Russia over the Georgian separatist region of South Ossetia.

VOA: standard.2009.09.01

Russia has said it fought the war to defend Abkhazia and South Ossetia against Georgian aggression.

VOA: standard.2009.04.30

For most of the last two decades, though, this dilapidated Soviet hotel was nicknamed the Hotel of Tears, and lived in by people who fled war in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

ECONOMIST: The perils and persistence of displacement

Russia has said that its prosecutors are collecting evidence in South Ossetia with which to indict Mr Saakashvili as a war criminal.

ECONOMIST: The West and Russia

Russia has violated the terms of the peace deal brokered by France's Nicolas Sarkozy, which demands that all sides withdraw troops to pre-war lines and refuses to allow international monitors into South Ossetia or Abkhazia.

ECONOMIST: The Russia-Georgia war