Russia signs up to Georgia truce
 Moscow's troops continue to operate deep inside the Caucasus republic |
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has signed a ceasefire agreement with Georgia after receiving it in Moscow.
The deal calls for all military activity to stop and for troops from both sides to pull back into pre-conflict positions.
The deal was signed on Friday by Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili.
But Russian forces remain deep in Georgian territory, and correspondents say many obstacles remain in the way of full implementation of the peace deal.
At stake is the future of Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
US-backed Georgia has vowed it will not accept any loss of its territory, but Russia insists that following the recent violence, residents are unlikely to want to live in the same state as Georgians.
The crisis, which began nine days ago, saw Georgian forces launch a surprise attack to regain control of South Ossetia, only to be decisively repelled by Russian forces.
Russian 'advances'
On the ground in Georgia, Russian forces had moved forward overnight, BBC sightings suggested.
Russian forces still control Gori, which lies some 15km (10 miles) from the border with South Ossetia.
Several tanks and armoured personnel carriers were seen in Kaspi, west of Gori and some 35km north-east of the capital Tbilisi - an advance of some 15km on their previous position. Lorries of soldiers were seen heading towards the town.
Meanwhile, Russian troops were seen patrolling in Zestafoni, some 100km west of Gori along a major highway.
 |  The Russian army brought in a large number of irregulars, mercenaries... They go around drunk, aggressive, armed and do all these atrocities  Mikhail Saakashvili Georgian president  |
Georgian officials also said Russian forces remained in the Georgian Black Sea port of Poti, the site of a major oil shipment facility, and a major Russian military contingent is further inland, at Senaki.
The crisis began on 7 August, when Georgian forces launched a surprise attack to regain control of South Ossetia, which has had de facto independence since the end of a civil war in 1992.
The move followed days of exchanges of heavy fire with the Russian-backed separatist militias. In response to the Georgian assault, Moscow sent armoured units across the border into South Ossetia to intervene.
Obstacles ahead
Scores of people have been killed by the fighting and tens of thousands displaced.
| PEACE PLAN No more use of force Stop all military actions for good Free access to humanitarian aid Georgian troops return to their places of permanent deployment Russian troops to return to pre-conflict positions International talks about future status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia |
The EU-brokered ceasefire agreement which both sides have now signed includes a pledge to pull all troops back to their pre-conflict positions.
It also contains a plan to begin international talks about the future status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who was in Tbilisi on Friday, has demanded the immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from Georgian territory.
But Russia argues its forces are there to ensure civilians face no threat from Georgian troops.
Mr Saakashvili has accused the Russians of committing war crimes.
 The UN puts the number of those displaced in the conflict at 118,000 |
"The Russian army brought in a large number of irregulars, mercenaries," he said. "They go around drunk, aggressive, armed and do all these atrocities."
He criticised the West for not granting Georgia membership of Nato, saying it could have prevented the fighting.
Diplomats have said that the UN Security Council is expected to vote this weekend on a draft resolution formalising the ceasefire agreement.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will meet the Russian permanent representative in New York, possibly on Saturday, because he has so far been unable to contact the Russian president, officials have said.
'Watching with alarm'
President Bush is set to hold a video conference with some of his most senior staff, including Ms Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates, to discuss the crisis in Georgia.
|  President Bush said Russia had to act to end the crisis in Georgia |
On Friday, Mr Bush said Russia's actions in Georgia were "completely unacceptable".
"The world has watched with alarm as Russia invaded a sovereign neighbouring state and threatened a democratic government elected by its people," he said.
He called upon Russia to end the crisis or risk its credibility on the global stage.
Mr Bush said he would send his secretary of state to Brussels next week to discuss how to deal with Russia with Nato foreign ministers and EU officials.
But the president did not respond to comments from Russia's deputy chief of staff, who said Moscow would be justified in launching a nuclear attack if Poland went through with its agreement to base US interceptor missiles on its territory as part of Washington's controversial defence shield.
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