skhinvali, the capital of the separatist Georgian province South Ossetia, lay in smoldering ruins Sunday after three days of fighting between Georgian troops and Russian forces.
Russia's deputy foreign minister said at least 2,000 people, mostly Russian citizens, have been killed in Tskhinvali.
The fighting had spread well beyond South Ossetia, with Russian airstrikes on Georgian cities and with thousands of Russian troops in the breakaway province of Abkhazia.
The United States warned Sunday that "disproportionate" actions against Georgia could have a "significant long term impact on U.S.-Russian relations."
The foreign ministers of France and Finland were both expected to arrive in Tbilisi Sunday evening to talk with Georgia officials about peace efforts, a Georgia foreign ministry spokeswoman said.
Georgia began withdrawing its soldiers from Tskhinvali early Sunday, but Georgian troops remained south of the capital inside South Ossetia . Georgian troops and their tanks lined the road leading from Tskhinvali back to the positions they held before Thursday.
Alexander Lomaia, secretary of Georgia's National Security Council, said the withdrawal was a show of goodwill, aimed at encouraging Russia to accept a cease-fire.
Heavy shelling from Russian artillery also prompted the pullback. Lomaia said about 200 Georgian soldiers have died so far in Russia attacks.
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