Arkady Babchencko, author of One Soldier’s War in Chechnya (interview here) followed a bunch of Russian troops from the initial counter attack on Tskhinvali to the occupation of Gori, taking photos all the way. He was apparently embedded with the Vostok battalion. I don’t know if these are regulars or a grouping of the various Bashi-Bazouks the Russians took to Georgia with them. They certainly look rough and ready, with the emphasis on the former.
Wikipedia has Vostok as a Spetsnaz battalion raised in Eastern Chechnya and under regular Russian Army control. They don't sound (or look) particularly friendly.
Posted by: BristleKRS | August 22, 2008 at 08:11 PM
Putin's Regiment of Loyal Chechens. Jesus wept.
Posted by: jamie | August 22, 2008 at 10:45 PM
The graffiti on the side of the tanks certainly mentions Chechnya and Vostok. But I don't think that's the whole story - there's a banner in one of the photos that says "Pridnestrovie [Transdniestr] Year in South Ossetia", which seems to suggest that some of the troops at least come from one of Russia's still-frozen conflicts. (Not quite Year of the Child is it, as my Russian friend commented on seeing this). The TransD soldiers would need to have been shipped over the Black Sea. I wonder when that happened. Still, goes to show that it really does pay to sponsor an unrecognised country or two, propped up by idling soldiers itching for a fight. I do hope the Ossetians don't get to return the favour sometime ...
Posted by: Malcs | August 22, 2008 at 11:46 PM
Sorry - just occurred to me that the banner could of course be military humour - a Russian version of Robin Williams in Good Morning Vietnam saying "Remember the people who brought you Korea?"
Posted by: Malcs | August 22, 2008 at 11:49 PM