"The thing is ... we are dealing right now to be clear with two different things. One is the aggression and attack on the Georgian state, a full-scale invasion, which is going on against all of the principles of international law," Alasania says. "And the second ... is a humanitarian catastrophe that was ignited by this conflict. I mean, there are lots of civilian populations killed on both sides of this community: Ossetians and Georgians."
Russia Denies Capturing Key Georgian Town
Listen: NPR's Ivan Watson talks to Madeleine Brand from South Ossetia on 'Day to Day'
Credit: Corey Flintoff, Alice Kreit/NPR
The head of Georgia's national security council said Monday that the key town of Gori — just 60 miles from the Georgian capital, Tbilisi — had fallen to Russian forces. Moscow denied the claim.
Security Council chief Alexander Lomaia said the town had been captured and that it was not immediately clear whether Russian forces would try to advance on Tbilisi.
An NPR reporter traveling on a road leading from Gori said dozens of vehicles, including many army vehicles, were streaming out of the town loaded with Georgian soldiers.
The apparent seizure of Gori came as Russian troops drove deep into Georgian territory in the country's western sector after Moscow's forces crossed into South Ossetia to support separatists there.
Earlier, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili told reporters that the world needed to "wake up" to Russia's aggression and do something to halt the advance.
Saakashvili told reporters that Russian tanks were invading Georgia from its pro-Moscow breakaway region of Abkhazia. He said Russia's goal is to topple his government and annex Georgia's territory.
"We are in the process of invasion, occupation and annihilation of an independent, democratic country," he said during a conference call with reporters. "Please wake up everybody. And please, make your position and speak with a united voice."
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations discussed the situation in Georgia in a conference call on Monday and expressed support for mediation efforts led by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, a U.S. State Department spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Monday criticized the United States for airlifting some 2,000 Georgian troops from Iraq after they were recalled home. Putin said that the U.S. move will hamper efforts to resolve the conflict.
Explore Key Locations in the Conflict