23.03.2009 17:48 | Edward Kulumbegov, the captain of a peace-making battalion, the military observer

Edward Kulumbegov, the captain of a peace-making battalion, the military observer:

- At night on 07.08.08 I was at my post in village Megvrekisi which is situated in Georgian territory in seven kilometers to the south of Tskhinval. About 23.30 a.m. the Georgian military observers deserted their post having left there only Russians and the only Ossetian – it was me. However, the satellites of the Georgiantelevision companies situated not far away from there. In ten minutes sleeping Tskhinval was under artillery attack and the journalists, which were translating live commentary, accompanied the volleys with loud approving exclamations and shouts "hurrah".

At daybreak the quantity of the journalists has trebled and the reaction of the others was the same. It’s a miracle that the soldiers of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia did not deal shortly with the peacemakers. Probably, the aggressor decided that all the same there's nothing they could do and they could be useful as hostages.

E. Kulumbegov also said that he felt a lump rise in his throat at the sight of the monsters triumphing over the view and sound of the shells, which were bringing death to his native city. It would be found out later, that the father of a military observer E. Kulumbegov died in the city. Edward became the witness of the panic flight of the mockery of warriors, when the Russian peacemakers were rescued from mortal danger by their colleagues.

Translated by Tatiana Inozemtseva