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S. Ossetia death toll reaches 2,000

About 2,000 people died in Tskhinvali as a result of fighting in the South Ossetian capital, said Vyacheslav Kovalenko, Russia’s ambassador to Georgia, Vesti TV channel reported. At this point, it is impossible to estimate the number of those wounded in the attacks, according to Kovalenko.

Earlier estimates put the death toll at approx. 1,400 people, mostly Russian nationals. Igor Konashenkov, Assistant Commander of Russia’s Ground Forces, reported that 15 Russian peacekeepers had been killed, and 70 wounded.

Tskhinvali remains the scene of fierce fighting. Women, children and elderly people who have survived two days of bombings, shelling and fires are appealing to the Russian President, Russian authorities and the international community to set up a humanitarian corridor to evacuate them, South Ossetia’s State Committee for Information and Press reported. Russian and foreign reporters working in the conflict zone are also calling for a humanitarian corridor to evacuate civilians.

People continue to flee from the attacked territory. Roughly 34,000 people crossed the Russian border from August 2 to 9. Some of them went back, and 22,000 remain in Russian territory, including 13,600 in the Southern Federal District, Russian Prime Minister Putin said. He cut short his visit to Beijing and arrived in North Ossetia’s capital of Vladikavkaz on Saturday evening. The Prime Minister held a meeting with local officials to discuss measures to help those wounded in South Ossetian clashes. To help cope with the disaster, the Russian government plans to allocate an additional RUB 500 million (approx. $20.94m) to South Ossetia.

The Russian government is developing a program for the reconstruction of residential housing in South Ossetia, according to Putin. “The first allocation will be approx. RUB 10 billion (approx. $418.76m),” he specified. “Much of Tskhinvali and other residential areas have been destroyed. We understand the situation of the people who lost their property and housing. We will not leave them without help,” the Prime Minister promised.

Vladimir Boldyrev, Commander of Russia’s Ground Forces, reported that ten South Ossetian villages in the border area have been completely destroyed in fighting.

Russian Emergencies Minister Sergei Shoigu also arrived in Vladikavkaz. He told Putin and other members of the meeting that rescuers planned to set up another hospital in Tskhinvali shortly. He also informed the Prime Minister on the amount of humanitarian aid supplied to the conflict zone, pointing to transportation difficulties.

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