Russia Invades Georgia - Is the Peace Over?

Russian troops have entered the country of Georgia, and bombed a military airbase outside of the capital, Tbilisi. This was in response to a full-scale Georgian assault to regain control of the rebel South Ossetia region.

No one was injured in the strikes at the Vaziani military base, which is about 15 miles outside of Tblisi.

Russian tanks invaded Georgia after a night of shelling by Georgia killed at least 3 Russian peacekeepers and 15 civilians.

According to Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili, 150 Russian tanks and armoured vehicles entered the region, and Georgian forces claim to have shot down two Russian warplanes over the territory.

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Russian president Dmitry Medvedev vowed to defend Russians in South Ossetia, and punish those responsible for Russian deaths. Medvedev told reporters, "Under the constitution and federal law ... I must protect the life and dignity of Russian citizens wherever they are." Before the tanks crossed the border the Russian president told reporters, those responsible "will receive a deserved punishment".

Nearly 90% of South Ossetia's non-Georgian population have Russian passports. Kazakhstan, another former Soviet state, has also said that they may enter the conflict on the side of Russia.

International leaders have already begun calling for peace. A spokesman for US President George Bush, who is currently in China for the Olympics, said "All sides should bring an immediate end to the violence and engage in direct talks to resolve this matter peacefully."

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, the Nato secretary general, said he is "seriously concerned" about the developments, and called for an immediate ceasefire and the start of direct peace talks.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, the former president, said that "aggressive" action by Georgia would incur a "response". He also said, "The Georgian leadership has unleashed a dirty adventure. Blood spilled in South Ossetia will be blamed on these people and their associates.

This crisis represents the first major test for Medvedev as the Russian president, however Putin's comments suggest that he is the one actually calling the shots.