Russian army moves further into Georgia

Russian tanks have rolled into the Georgian town of Poti, which is a small port city on the Black Sea containing an oil terminal, on Thursday according to a shipping agent.

"Just a few minutes ago, they [Russians] entered Poti in tanks," said the shipping agent to Reuters by phone. He added that Russian troops sank six Georgian military boats based at the port city. He requested to remain nameless.

Russia's deputy chief of the General Staff, Colonel-General Anatoly Nogovitsyn denied that Moscow has troops in Poti.

However, according to Georgian internet portal, Civil.Ge, Russians have entered the city and are destroying military stations.

Meanwhile, Reuters photographer reported over 100 Russian army vehicles moving further into Georgia headings towards the city centre of Zugdidi. The Russian army also has control over Gori, which is 60 kilometers from Tbilisi.

The conflict has sent the oil market panicking due to the region's importance in the delivery of energy sources from the Caspian Sea to Europe.

Source: Reuters, TVN 24