Russia claims Georgians fail to withdraw

MOSCOW, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Russian military leaders claim Georgian troops are not withdrawing from South Ossetia as ordered under a peace pact.

An agreement signed by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili is not being honored by his troops, the Russians say, even as they claim to have begun pulling troops back from Georgia, reported RIA Novosti Tuesday.

"Although Saakashvili signed the six principles (peace plan), we can see that this order is not being implemented," said Col. Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy chief of the Russian General Staff.

He also denied that Russia is holding 80 Georgian prisoners after releasing 13 Georgian military personnel and two civilians early Tuesday in return for five captured Russians.

"I wonder if the list of 80 captives had been prepared beforehand ... to get on our nerves," Nogovitsyn said.

He did confirm that Russian forces were remaining in Georgia's Black Sea port of Poti to "help with the formation of a new local administration."