Russia

GORI, Georgia (AP) — Russia's deputy chief of staff insisted Monday that Russian troops and tanks have begun to withdraw from the conflict zone with Georgia, but left unclear exactly what Russia thought the dimensions of that zone were. The statement by Col.-Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn came amid uncertainty about whether Russia was fulfilling President Dmitry Medvedev's promise to begin a troop pullout Monday after signing an EU-backed cease-fire. Earlier in the day, Russian forces around the strategically key Georgian city of Gori had shown no sign of moving away and even appeared to be solidifying their positions.

TBILISI, Georgia — The Georgian government said Saturday night that Russian forces control half the country and that the nation's railroad system has been shut down after a bridge was blown. It also accused Russian forces of deliberately setting fires that threaten electricity and some cellphone communications as far as Tbilisi, the Georgian capital. The actions, the government said, are occurring despite Russian President Dmitry Medvedev having signed a cease-fire agreement earlier in the day. The cease-fire agreement, which Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili signed on Friday, calls for the withdrawal Russian combat troops from the country. It was unclear Saturday night how soon that would be and what sort of actions will occur in Russian-occupied territory before they do..

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — The U.N.'s highest court has scheduled three days of hearings next month about Georgia's request to order Russia to stop attacks on ethnic Georgians. Georgia claims the attacks amount to a persistent campaign of racial discrimination. The International Court of Justice says it will hear arguments from both sides beginning Sept. 8 at its seat in The Hague. Georgia has filed a suit seeking compensation for what it claims is nearly two decades of ethnic cleansing of Georgians in the breakaway districts of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The United States has called an emergency meeting of NATO foreign ministers to review the alliance's worsening relations with Russia following Moscow's military intervention in Georgia. The military alliance is expected to consider a range of upcoming activities planned with Russia — from military exercises to ministerial meetings — and decide case by case at the meeting Tuesday whether to go ahead with each activity. Allied ministers also will discuss support for a planned international monitoring mission in the region and a package of support to help Georgia rebuild infrastructure damaged in its devastating defeat at the hands of the Russian armed forces.

MOSCOW (AP) — A top Russian general said Friday that Poland's agreement to accept a U.S. missile defense battery exposes the country to attack, pointing out that Russian miltiary doctrine permits the use of nuclear weapons in such a situation, the Interfax news agency reported. The statement by Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn is the strongest threat that Russia has issued against the plans to put missile defense elements in former Soviet satellite nations. Poland and the United States on Thursday signed a deal for Poland to accept a missile defense battery as part of a system the United States says is aimed at blocking attacks by rogue nations but that Moscow claims is aimed at weakening Russia.

• JJ Commentary: Russia is prophesied to be a key player in the end-time buildup to Armageddon.