South Ossetia says Georgian attack caused $4 billion damage
TSKHINVALI, August 22 (RIA Novosti) - Georgia's recent military operations in South Ossetia caused some 100 billion rubles ($4.1 billion) in damage, according to the breakaway republic's preliminary estimates.
South Ossetia's deputy speaker of parliament, Tarzan Kokoity, speaking of the destruction of local factories, said: "Today it is senseless to speak of the republic having its own industries."
He added that the total amount of damage would be evaluated by the end of August.
Georgia launched a major offensive to seize control of South Ossetia on August 8, prompting Russia to send several hundred tanks and thousands of troops into the region. Moscow announced the end of its operation to "force Georgia to peace" on August 12.
As a result of Georgia's attack, around 70% of buildings in South Ossetia's capital, Tskhinvali, were destroyed, and gas and electricity were cut off. The city's water supply utilities were also disrupted, leaving locals without drinking water.
According to an earlier statement by the South Ossetian authorities, 1,492 of the province's residents were killed in the attack, while an estimated 37,000 fled into Russia. Most residents of South Ossetia have Russian citizenship.
Russia has so far however identified 133 residents of South Ossetia as having been killed in the assault. The state investigation committee said on Thursday that it was still impossible to give a final figure as many bodies were buried in makeshift graves.
A popular Russian daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta said earlier this week that the first five days of the conflict in Georgia's breakaway republic cost Russia around 12.5 billion rubles ($508.7 million).
The estimate, based on figures from the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, included the costs of deploying troops, armored vehicles, and other equipment to South Ossetia after Georgia launched its attack.
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