Russia, Georgia conflict escalates

TBILISI, Georgia, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili Saturday urged Russia to accept an immediate cease-fire in South Ossetia as signs suggested the conflict was worsening.

Saakashvili made the cease-fire call during a press conference in Tblisi, in which he said his country was in a state of war against Russia after what he called a massive invasion of his country, Deutsche Welle reported.

"I call for an immediate cease-fire," Saakashvili said. "Russia has launched a full scale military invasion of Georgia."

The German broadcaster says Georgia claims Russian warplanes bombed and virtually destroyed the key Black Sea port of Poti and had disrupted key oil pipelines in the country.

Russia dispatched warships carrying ground troops bound for the disputed Georgian territory of Abkhazia and extended a bombing campaign in Georgia, The New York Times reported Saturday.

South Ossetian officials said as many as 1,600 people had died there as a result of a Georgian military push into the breakaway province. Georgian officials said the figure was blown out of proportion, Deutsche Welle said.

South Ossetia is a pro-Russian region of Georgia that broke away from Georgia in the 1990s. Russia has declared residents of South Ossetia and Abkhazia Russian citizens, the Times said.

Saakashvili said Russia intends to overthrow his government, take over seaports and seize control of an oil pipeline, the newspaper said.