Putin says Georgia commits crimes

MOSCOW, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- Georgia has committed a crime against its own people and a strike against its own integrity in South Ossetia, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said.

Putin Saturday condemned Georgia's military actions in the breakaway province, the Russian news agency Itar-Tass reported.

"Georgian authorities' actions in South Ossetia are, of course, a crime and, primarily, a crime against its own people," he said. "By delivering a strike on Georgia's territorial integrity and thus by causing damage to its statehood it's difficult to imagine how it's possible to convince South Ossetia to be part of Georgia after the events, which happened and continue to happen."

Georgia's actions provoked a Russian military response Friday.

"The aggression led to numerous victims, including among the peaceful population, and provoked a real humanitarian catastrophe," Putin said. "And this is, of course, a crime against its own people,"