The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has added a “Situation in Georgia” page to its Web site, including a section on “Myths and Misinformation.” The section debunks false claims by Russian officials and others in Russian media. It states clearly that:
• No U.S. forces, advisors, or soldiers were in the combat zone in South Ossetia.
• The United States told all parties, including the Georgians, that the use of military force in any way in this volatile region was going to be a mistake.
• Up until the very last minute, the United States urged Georgia to act with restraint and not respond to provocations.
• The United States has not used humanitarian aid deliveries to provide arms to Georgia.
• The United States is very concerned about the plight of all civilians who suffered from the fighting in the region and deeply regrets the loss of life.
• Ethnic cleansing, racially motivated violence and other abuses of civilians are clear violations of international law and can never be justified.
• The United States supports all efforts to investigate allegations of genocide and ethnic cleansing.

See the site for more details and instances of false claims by Russian officials and others in Russian media.

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.

Following Russia’s incursion into Georgia in early August, Russian officials have made numerous false claims about U.S. involvement in the conflict, which are reminiscent of orchestrated Soviet Cold War disinformation campaigns.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in an August 28 interview with CNN that the United States may have “created the conflict deliberately in order to aggravate the situation and create a competitive advantage for one of the candidates for the U.S. presidency.”

As evidence of U.S. involvement, Russian officials showed reporters a copy of the passport of American citizen Michael Lee White, allegedly found in a building in South Ossetia by Russian troops.

But as the Wall Street Journal reported on September 3, White lost his passport in October 2005, when he left it in the seat pocket of an airplane on a Moscow-New York flight. The U.S. State Department confirmed that White reported the passport missing in 2005 and that it was subsequently cancelled.

White told the Wall Street Journal that during the fighting in Georgia, “he was in Austin, Texas, helping to care for his 85-year-old father, who suffered a stroke in the spring.” The Journal reports that “Mr. White’s brother, reached by phone in Austin, confirms that account.” White left Austin on August 27 to return to China, where he works as an English-language teacher.

Russian officials have also falsely accused the United States of sending military assistance to Georgia during the conflict. In fact, U.S. aid to Georgia since the conflict began has been exclusively humanitarian, totaling nearly $38 million. This has included more than 150,000 packaged meals, more than 350,000 humanitarian daily rations, 10,500 cots, almost 20,000 sleeping bags, thousands of blankets, sheets, tents, baby food, bottled water, and other humanitarian supplies.

On September 3, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced a major economic support package of more than one billion dollars for Georgia.

“This is a reconstruction package for the Georgian economy,” Rice said. “It is not yet time to look at the question of assistance on the military side.”