Georgia, Russia: Blogger From Poti Recounts the Bombing
See Global Voices special coverage page on the South Ossetia crisis.
Here is LJ user pepsikolka‘s account (RUS) of what it felt like when the Russian planes were bombing Poti, her native city (more posts by this blogger have been translated here):
How it all was.
We worried much because of Ossetia, condemned the war and argued, and all of us, everyone who works [for our company], all those who surround me – no one has ever said that it was good that [Georgia] had entered Ossetia, everyone was sorry and upset.
In the evening, on the way back from work, some colleagues were saying that they were taking the children out of the city, what if they start bombing Poti, since it is, after all, a strategically important city, and I protested, saying that this will never happen, that if Russians do decide to help Ossetia (it wasn't yet clear at that point), they'll help the Ossetian people and that would be it.
Around midnight I heard some roaring, ran up to the window and saw shaft of fire, explosions at the port and heard a deafening noise. I didn't even have the time to get scared, I just knew that if a cistern with oil at the terminal gets hit, there'll be fire and an explosion, so I grabbed the phone, called Tengo, Vika answered, screaming – Samira, the port is being bombed. Mama with Alina and our niece were running aimlessly around the apartment, the explosions continued, and we ran downstairs. There were people in the street, they were crying and everyone looked terribly alarmed.
I don't really understand, but some explosions and gunfire sounds continued. Someone was running and screaming that [we should all] leave, as we are close to the port, and we all ran. Planes were flying, there were some lights, and it seemed as if they were being shot at from the ground, I don't know, there was roaring in the sky and one could see the light of either missiles or I don't know what.
We took shelter [inside one building], there were screams all around, women and children were crying.
There was no phone connection, and before that they had turned TV off.
We didn't understand anything about what happened.
Clearly, no one was expecting this.
We went to my sister, to the area that's far off from the port, Mos'ka was sobbing, very frightened, she was born in 1994 and didn't know how we were running in 1992, during the storming of the city of Poti by the Georgian army [and pushing out supporters of Zviad Gamsakhurdia], and her sister Katerina was being born, and we were asking the evacuating Russian army for help. Military doctors did end up delivering Kat'ka at the hospital.
But that was a long time ago.
Now Mos'ka was crying, and so were other children in the courtyard.
They were not bombing anymore, but people were still afraid to enter the buildings.
We began moving towards our house. Next to every building, there were crowds of people who were afraid to go up to their apartments.
A woman nearby was talking on the phone, and suddenly she gave out a heartrending scream, people grew loud, and I felt fear at a subconscious level. I told my sister not to speak Russian. [The woman] was in a state of temporary insanity, mama asked what happened in Georgian, they said that Senaki was bombed, there were the mobilized [men] there, and [the woman's] brother was killed.
We ran home, started calling [family and friends].
It turned out that a bomb hit our terminal, my colleague, a friend, who was working a night shift, got injured with shrapnel, broken ribs, his lungs and head were hurt, too. The reservoirs were not damaged, only the foam station, and a substation at the port. At the port, seven people were killed, I guess, and some were injured. The guy who worked for the Odessa-Poti ferry agent company was killed. They also brought the killed ones from Senaki, the reservists were let go from there, another of our colleagues was injured by the bomb.
People were so frightened that no one was discussing politics, everyone tried to get closer to one another, some people were crossing themselves and whispering prayers.
I was thinking only about one thing, that we should all stick together.
In the morning, we were running away again, because one of the bombs hadn't exploded and they brought in sappers to disarm it.
I was looking out of the window and saw people with bags who were running away, driving away in cars to villages, to Adzharia. My friend Lenka has rented a room in Kobuleti and is staying there with her family.
The city is empty, most stores are closed.
Tengo didn't leave anywhere, we run to see each other from time to time.
Poti hasn't been bombed anymore, we heard some gunshots yesterday, but don't know what it was. I can't even imagine what it's like for those poor people in Tskhinvali.
No one needs this damn war.
I'm not a politician and I don't have politicians in my circle who think that this is how it should be. I do not distinguish between Ossetians, Georgians and Russians. My friend's grandmother is Ossetian, we are Russian, but we have Georgian relatives, son-in-law is a Ukrainian, who the hell cares, the main thing is for this to be over as soon as possible and that no one else dies.
Those of you who write that here, you Georgians are getting what you deserve.
Deserve what? What for? Are we guilty of anything?
Are Georgians some monsters, don't they have the same blood running in their veins as anyone else? Old people are crying and it's unbearable to watch it. And no one has ever told me that all this is because of you, Russians. Not a single person, not once. I admit that there are people who may say this. But I haven't encountered them. Some people in LJ say that if you, the Kuznetsovs, are Russians, why don't you escape to Russia? When people were running away in the 1990s, we stayed, because there was uncertainty both here and there. My mama had chosen the uncertainty here. Because she was born and grew up here, we were all born here, sometime in the 1930s my grandmother, a child then, was put on a train and told that there was no hunger in Georgia, that there was [corn] there. It is our country now, we hold Georgian passports and we are the ordinary Georgian citizens. That's why I feel like tearing myself in two, when I stand on Georgian soil and the Russian planes are flying over me, and I can't imagine that these two countries are fighting against each other.
28 comments
I have read through many foreign clauses, and almost all of them were negative in relation to actions of Russia. Ivan correctly speaks all of you about that occurs in S Ossetia. Georgia is an aggressor.
You still likely did not see the staff as Saakishvally escapes from the plane in the city of Gori, you would die of laughter, it the typical coward! We’ll kill u SUKAshvilly, be afraid, haha!
To Russia, with Love:
I hope someone smuggles a nuke to Georgia and they sneak it into moscow (is it still named that? they seem change it every time another dictator comes to power there). Nah, burnin’ is too good for ’em. I say drown them in their own oil, THEN set it afire. Russia has always been a braggart, cowardly nation of weak slaves (slavs) who have to be told what to do or they are not happy and have no idea what to sdo on their own. Try taking on a nation of comparable size and see what happens, you weak, weak minded drunkards.
Strange! I’m reading her othe posts? try to translate them! And you’ll understand that nothing happened there in Poti.
No tanks, and no russian bombs.
This post is just ine of them.
Here is her blog http://pepsikolka.livejournal.com/
People are playing domino on the streets.
Rusiian are thr peacekeepers
Try to read theese articles and comments.
Strange! I’m reading her othe posts? try to translate them! And you’ll understand that nothing happened there in Poti.
No tanks, and no russian bombs.
This post is just ine of them.
Here is her blog http://pepsikolka.livejournal.com/
People are playing domino on the streets.
Rusiian are thr peacekeepers
Try to read theese articles and comments.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/09/georgia.russia1
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/11/georgia.russia3
mark
you are just stupid americanian ass and nothing more.
your “great” nation never win any war. Even in WW2 your country waited for Pearl Harbour to join this battle. But before that you traded some raw matherials to Hitler… You can only fight at enemi`s territory where you are pretty “brave”.
The most work of destroying Hitlers empire was made by Russians!
The same it was many times before – Napoleons empire was crashed after pretending for our country.
Tchingiz-khan – we won them after centuries of occupation.
And be sure! Nobody can beat us! Never! But WE NEVER FIGHT ANY COUNTRY FIRST! You are so stupid to decline flat facts – so I see no reason to talk to you at all.
For the beginning – try to explain what do you want as an aim? WW3 will make you happy? Do you want to wear anti-radiation ammunition every time as you`re going outside your personal bunker??? Or you want one-polar pro-american world? If so than prepare your ass to be f%cked by americans every day! Americans becomes slaves in their own state! And be shure you will.
I hope someday you will understand HOW is UsA manipulated by several people just to set the “World order” and control over money.
But it can do NOTHING without timid wagging of EU-countries (because they are fully-dependent on USA and always aiming to separate Russians resources).
This is a war for resources “blessed” by our “friend” USA: “Are you still not democratic??? So we are flying to help you!” – this is a fairy tail for so stupid people as mark….
I having been watching on the CNN and have been praying for you and your peoples safety! I hope this comes to an end fast!!!!!
First I’m terribly sorry for all the death, pain and destruction.
Second, Saakishvally is a sick man and a fool to launch a surprise attack in the middle of the night on a sleeping civilian population. But this must explain why he gets along so well with George Bush and John McSame.
Third, Mark above must be a Zionist-Israeli first American. Too many people in America are apathetic, drunk on consuming in the consumer culture, but very few want war, excepting those who have a Greater Israel as the utmost priority. In many ways, America has been hijacked and doesn’t exist anymore. I appologize for the Banking/Oil/Military cartel that in many ways brought this suffering upon you. Georgian selected leaders that got mixed up with evil, wrong people.
Iran may be next. Numerous warships are now heading there.
America’s broke and this might be the end game.
Thank all of you in the area effected for your information. it is so important. I live in rural New Mexico, United States. We have no real information about what is happening there to all of you. But we care to know more. so please keep posting stories about yourselves and what you think is important to tell people like me.
I do not take sides in war. I only wish it to stop. It is too deadly for families and loved ones. We are thinking of you and your pain in all of this. we wish you all the best of luck and safety. We do not understand the reasons why this is happening as your country is so far away. But as human beings with family we are fearful for all of you and are with you in spirit through these fearful times. I hate this for all of you.
To read your stories makes a person see the fear. I wish there was something i could do. it is a helpless feeling to only be able to know something and yet not be able to effect it. We Pray for all of you. you are in our thoughts always.
There are new photos from Osetia… very cruel photos… be carefull to see it…. ((
http://tskhinvali.org/photogallery.html
Photos show HOW georgians do their business … This is a real GENOCIDE of Osetians.
just look and try to say something against it…
Is any georgian town destroyed like Tshinvali (the capital of S.Osetia) ????