Russia urged to end offensive

2:07am Tuesday 12th August 2008

Russia is to face mounting pressure from Britain and international allies to end its military action in Georgia amid accusations it aims to "conquer" its neighbour by force.

Europe minister Jim Murphy said Moscow's actions were "utterly unacceptable and totally brutal" and urged it to accept an EU-drafted peace deal backed by Georgia's president.

And as the United Nations Security Council began more emergency talks, Moscow was warned by US President George Bush not to proceed with a "dramatic and brutal escalation".

Russian forces, which entered the separatist province of South Ossetia on Friday in response to a Georgian bid to retake it militarily, pushed beyond its borders on Monday.

The Georgian embassy in London said Russian jets had bombed the capital city Tbilisi throughout the night and Mr Bush said the Russians appeared set to attack the Georgian civilian airport.

Giorgi Badridze, the acting head of the embassy, said Russia's actions had "nothing to do with the enforcement of peace" but were a "pre-planned strategy aimed at conquering Georgia".

"Throughout the night and following the unilateral ceasefire, the Russian jets continued the bombardment of (the) capital of Georgia, Tbilisi and other cities and villages.

"Today the statehood of Georgia is in great danger and thereby leaving existing world order in uncertainty," he said, comparing the incursion with Nazi actions ahead of the Second World War.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who discussed the issue with Mr Bush on Monday as the president returned from the Beijing Olympics, has warned there can be "no justification" for the action.

Downing Street said both leaders had agreed the Russian government should "end its aggression immediately".