Earlier quoted context omitted.
And Russian reaction was correct right? Ignore boundaries of sovereign state (Georgia), annex its' territories outside of conflict zone (Gori, Georgia) and all in order to "defend their friends". Are you aware that Russia perfectly timed it's Kavkaz 2008 military training near the border of Georgian Region of South Osetia? Just several days earlier before conflict heated up. And what Russia does when conflict begins?…
No Gori annexion happened, actually -- Russian military entered the city, then, after the conflict was over, left. The readiness to respond was quite amazing though, yes -- but it was Georgian army who started the storm of Tshinval, not expecting the Russian one to appear any soon through a mountain tunnel (or appear at all, actually). There have been trainings just before that, that's correct; and there have been pr…
But still, there was an annexation too, Russia took this part of the Georgian controlled lands: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akhalgori_Municipality