Russia leaves Georgian buffer zone

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the withdrawal was in line with a ceasefire deal brokered by France on behalf of the European Union. The zones were created outside South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another region that has unilaterally broken away from Georgia, after Russia sent tanks and troops to repel a Georgian offensive to retake pro-Russian South Ossetia in August. However, Russia plans to keep 7,600 troops in the rebel regions, which it recognised as independent states after the war.

Reuters | October 8, 2008

Tags:. .abkhazia. .unilaterally. .retake. .repel. .buffer