Paul Goble’s blog, Window on Eurasia, notes that satellite photographs analyzed by UN experts show 50% of buildings in ethnic Georgian villages in South Ossetia have been destroyed or severely damaged “by Ossetian marauders behind Russian lines,” but only five percent of buildings in South Ossetia’s capital Tskhinvali.

This contradicts the Russian claim that much of Tskhinvali was destroyed by a Georgian assault, which served as a pretext for the Russian invasion. It also contradicts Russian and South Ossetian claims that Georgian villages were not destroyed.

See the 16 UNOSAT maps of Georgia, especially the one reprinted in a September 8 article in the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta. From the top, the map shows eight Georgian villages, with pie charts indicating the destruction they suffered, as of August 19.

UN photo analysts judged that five of the Georgian villages had 42% to 52% of their buildings destroyed or severely damaged; the others, 31%, 15%, and 5%.

On August 12, Human Rights Watch researchers passed through four of these villages – Kekhvi (44% destroyed), Kvemo Achabeti (52%), Zemo Achabeti (42%), and Tamarasheni (51%). They said they “witnessed terrifying scenes of destruction.” They reported, “according to the few remaining local residents, South Ossetian militias … looted the Georgian villages and set them on fire.”

The large pie chart at the bottom left shows the destruction in Tskhinvali. UN analysts said only 5% of buildings were destroyed or severely damaged there.