Russia: Georgia Still Fighting Despite Offering Cease-Fire

Russia says Georgia is still firing at targets in South Ossetia, despite the Georgian government's offer of a cease-fire and withdrawal of troops from the separatist region. Russia says it completely controls the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali.

It has not directly responded to Georgia's call for a cease-fire and peace talks. Georgia says Russia has again bombed the town of Gori, close to the South Ossetian border, and also says Russia dropped bombs near the international airport of the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.

Civilians seeking refuge from the fighting call the situation in and around South Ossetia "hell," and say bombs are keeping them from escaping. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has appealed to the United States for help. He told CNN television Sunday that Georgia is not, in his words, "crazy" to challenge a much stronger Russian army. Russia sent some 10-thousand troops into South Ossetia to stop Georgia from reasserting control over the region, where 70 percent of the population holds Russian passports.