Russia had plans for Georgian 'aggression' in late 2006 - Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia had plans to repel Georgian attacks in Georgia's breakaway republic of South Ossetia more than a year before Russia and Georgia fought their brief war, Radio Free Europe cites ITAR-TASS as saying.

Speaking on the anniversary of the start of the 2008 Russo-Georgian war, Putin said Russia's General Staff had a plan "at the end of 2006 or the start of 2007," which was "approved by me."

Putin said part of that plan included training local militiamen in South Ossetia to help Russian troops should open hostilities break out with Georgia, adding "it seemed a hopeless cause, since a militia would lose against a regular army, even the Georgian [army], but they proved more than effective."