Russia is most likely preparing for another war against Georgia. As some sources in Tskhinvali report, Russian troops deployed missile systems Smerch (Tornado) in Russian-occupied Georgian province of South Ossetia.

This week, the Abkhaz separatist leader, Sergei Bagapsh, arrived in Moscow to sign a number of deals with President Dmitry Medvedev on military, logistical, financial and economic cooperation. The Russian military have been officially allowed to establish a permanent "unified military base" in Abkhazia for 49 years with the possibility of prolongation. During the signing ceremony, Medvedev announced that Russia and Georgia will eventually restore "friendly relations," but stressed that Moscow will not deal with President Mikheil Saakashvili. Medvedev described the regime in Georgia as criminal, accused it of "spilling the blood of innocent citizens" and expressed hope that Saakashvili will eventually stand trial. Bagapsh fully agreed with these views (Interfax, February 17). The signing was specially planned by the Russian authorities to occur on February 17, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of "Abkhazia voluntarily becoming part of Russia," and now following the same course (RIA Novosti, February 17).

Russia and South Ossetia have entered an agreement on visa-free trips of their citizens, which allows cross the border on both sides by domestic passports of Russia and South Ossetia. The document was signed by Sergey Lavrov and Murat Dzhioev, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Russia and South Ossetia. Tbilisi treats this Moscow's step as cynical and illegal.