Seems in agreement- but still, who is at fault? NEITHER account makes that exactly clear.




...........
Beginning late on 1 August, intense fighting began between Georgian troops and paramilitary soldiers of South Ossetia, causing the deaths of six people and injuring twenty-one others. Each side accused the other of commencing the fighting.[27] On 3 August, the Russian government allowed South Ossetians to begin evacuation into Russia, which resulted in twenty bus-loads of refugees leaving the region on the first day.[48]

On 4 August, five battalions of the Russian 58th Army were moved to the vicinity of Roki Tunnel that links South Ossetia with North Ossetia.[49]

Sporadic fighting continued throughout the next several days. On 6 August, Georgia said it had lost an APC and that three Georgian soldiers had been wounded.[50] Four people were killed that night and Georgia resumed shelling at daybreak. Residents once again began evacuating areas of South Ossetia and Georgia moved tanks, artillery, and troops to the border.[51] The Georgian Interior Ministry reported that as many as ten Georgian soldiers had died in the clashes throughout 7 August.[52][53]

Saakashvili who had earlier alleged that a sniper warfare was taking taking place [54] later ordered a unilateral ceasefire. Saakashvili called for talks "in any format", reaffirmed the long-standing offer of full autonomy for South Ossetia, proposed that Russia should guarantee that solution, offered a general amnesty, and pleaded for international intercession to stop the hostilities.[26] Georgia reiterated that it was prepared to engage in direct talks with the de facto government of South Ossetia without any preconditions.

During the night and early morning, Georgian artillery was reported to have shelled the South Ossetian villages of Avnevi, Eredvi, Nuli and others.[56] Georgian news reported that Georgian-populated villages of South-Ossetia were first hit, however this contradicts the reports of Information Telegraph Agency of Russia. These reports also stated that the police station in Kurta, seat of the Sanakoyev administration, was hit by artillery fire. Georgia reported that civilians had begun fleeing these villages.[26] Georgian shelling continued, varying in intensity through the night.

Georgia began a military offensive into South Ossetia commanded by Mamuka Kurashvili, which they said was a response the above-mentioned alleged attacks against Georgian villages. However, South Ossetia denied attacking the villages. Kurashvili stated that the purpose of the operation was to restore constitutional order in the region.[57] This caused an increased number of refugees to cross into Russia.[57][58] Interfax quoted South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity as saying his forces were confronting Georgians in the outskirts of Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia; he noted that fierce fighting was under way.[citation needed]

At 00:53 on 8 August (local time, 20:53 7 August UTC), Georgian forces began shelling the city, which allegedly included the route along which refugees were being moved.[59] As the day progressed, Russian media reported that at least fifteen civilians had been killed in Tskhinvali.[52]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_South_Ossetia_(2008)