Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has described Georgia's assault on South Ossetia as Russia's 9/11.
He said the world had learnt lessons from the attacks in the US on 11 September 2001 and hoped the same would happen after events in the Caucasus.
Reports say Russian troops are showing signs of preparing to pull back from inside Georgia.
This is in line with a ceasefire deal brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday.
However, a Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman cast doubt on the preparations, saying: "There has been no sign of a withdrawal." BBC NEWS