00:06 – Heavy artillery shelling from the Georgian villages of Nikozi and Ergneti, as well as from the Georgian city of Gori, targeted at the capital city of the Republic of South Ossetia, Tskhinval, has begun. Ossetian villages of Dmenis, Sarabuk, Satikar, Tsunar, Khetagurovo, Velit, Mugut, Didmukha, Znaur, Galuanta and others are also under heavy shelling.
00:42 – Georgia has officially announced the war. The Commander of the Georgian peacekeepers Mamuka Kurashvili officially informs the Commander of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces (JPKF) in the conflict zone, Major-General Marat Kulakhmetov, that Georgia is starting its military operation in the zone of Georgian-Osseitan conflict to restore constitutional order in South Ossetia. He calls on the Russian peacekeepers deployed in the conflict zone not to interfere into the situation.

Soslan Bekoev, 14, “Albion” School

My first day after arrival in Vladikavkaz before the war
I went to Vladikavkaz together with my mum to see my granny. Mum had to return Я приехал the same day, she could leave her work.
Now, I have to stay in Vladikavkaz. I have got a new school and new teachers. My parents do their utmost to have me in a calm situation to continue studies. It was not long ago that I had a house in Tskhinval and a granny there. I cannot help but keep recalling the life destroyed by Georgian extremists. As it were movie shots, I keep in mind the pictures of that horrific August of 2008. My mother, Maya Kharebova, works for an informational agency in Tskhinval, and I could read her journalist reports, newspaper features, brief TV news reported by the informational agency, conversations of journalists; everything was concentrated on those event, which could be also restored through my diary notes.