Wednesday 13 August
Gori's day starts with rumours of an imminent Russian arrival. Lili Lomsadse has just returned to her home not far from the centre when she hears the story of tanks in the town. For her, this is too much. She doesn't even bother to change, packs a few things in a carrier bag, and decides to run away again. 'I just got back this morning, but I'm getting out. They told me the Russians are nearby and robbing people. Three tanks are in the town. I've got to go.'     
     We're filming at an apartment block when we hear the first shouts that the Russians are here. Then comes the slow, steady rumble of the heavy vehicles, and just beyond the trees, we see them. Packing up our gear we head for the edge of town. The few people left come racing out behind us.
From other villages nearby, others start to arrive. They tell of masked men with guns stealing cars and valuables. Mariam Shulbatshvili, old and frail, is gasping for breath when she shows up. She's come from the village of Karaleti. As she and her family were driving out they were waved down and ordered to stop. 'Men with guns told us out to get out of the car. We offered them money but they said they wanted the car. We were very frightened. We lost everything, our documents, money, everything.'
     Then, without warning, it starts – a sudden Russian advance, pushing out of Gori on the main road south towards Tblisi. The convoy snakes back for almost a kilometre. It includes armoured personnel carriers, supply trucks and big artillery guns. On and on it pushes, kilometre after kilometre, further into Georgian territory, challenging and provoking. From Tblisi, a convoy of Georgian special forces' soldiers is sent. Suddenly it pulls to the side of the road 15 kilometres from the Russians and turns back to the capital.
     Just outside the town of Orjasani, the Russians stop. The vehicles turn off the main road and take up positions in a field. We find out that the commander is awaiting further instructions.
     From behind us come loud, worried voices and anguished tears. A group of six women are distressed and angry. They tell us they'd heard from relatives in the villages of Mejvriskhevi and Karaleti. 'Khazacs and Ossetians in uniform are coming into the village, putting sacks over the heads of our men and slitting their throats. They're taking everyone – men, women and children. They're dragging the attractive women away.'
     There are reports of atrocities on both sides of this conflict and it's difficult to confirm these stories, but the women are adamant that evil has visited their villages today.
     The Russians are on the move again, heading back to Gori and beyond. This is a clear show of strength, a reminder of who has the power and who doesn't. On the road to Tblisi, the Georgian Army waits, taking up positions against an enemy now going the other way. They have been told the war is over – no-one here believe that's true.

Thursday 14 August
A tense stand-off has developed on the edge of Gori. The Russians were expected to pull out and hand control back to the Georgians, but it appears the deal has been sunk by South Ossetian irregulars who demanded to control policing in the town. This was unacceptable to the Georgian delegation handling negotiations and they've stormed out.
     To try to talk their way into town, the Georgians dispatched their special forces but the Russians fearing they were about to be attacked moved their tanks up. For a few tense minutes both sides stared each other down with guns drawn. Now at the edge of Gori there are five Russian tanks, their guns pointed at the Georgians just a few kilometres away.
     We're suddenly aware of a man in uniform who has had too much to drink and is brandishing a gun. He's ordering the journalists to leave the area, and when they don't move fast enough, he fires two shots in the air. It sends the press scattering, racing for their cars. A number of explosions follow, far enough away not to be a danger, close enough to be a concern. It's a sign how close to the surface emotions are running.

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