Signs of pullback by Russian forces in Georgia

IGOETI, Georgia — Russian military convoys rolled out of three key positions in Georgia and headed toward Moscow-backed separatist regions on Friday in a significant withdrawal two weeks after thousands of troops roared into the former Soviet republic.

In western Georgia, a column of 83 tanks, APCs and trucks hauling artillery moved away from the Senaki military base north toward the border of Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region on Friday afternoon. Georgian police said the vehicles came from the base, which has been under Russian control for more than a week.

In central Georgia, at least 40 Russian military vehicles left the strategic city of Gori, heading north toward South Ossetia and Russia. Gori straddles the country's main east-west highway south of South Ossetia, the separatist region at the heart of the fighting.

"We are seeing the pullback of Russian troops" from Gori, Georgian security council chief Alexander Lomaia confirmed Friday.

An Associated Press reporter in Igoeti, meanwhile, confirmed that Russian forces had pulled up from their former checkpoints around the crossroads village. Igoeti, on the road between Gori and the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, had been the Russians' closest position to the Georgian capital.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had promised to have his troops out of Georgia by Friday — but a top Russian general later amended that prediction, saying it could take at least 10 days before the bulk of Russian troops and hardware could be withdrawn.

The short but intense war on Russia's southern border has deeply strained relations between Russia and the West. Russia has frozen its military cooperation with NATO, Moscow's Cold War foe, underscoring a growing division in Europe. Georgia has wanted to join NATO, a move that angered Russia.

Under the EU peace deal, Russian forces are to pull back to positions they held before intense fighting broke out Aug. 7 in South Ossetia, a separatist province in Georgia that has close ties to Russia. But Russia says it will keep troops in South Ossetia and in a buffer zone in Georgia proper.

There were still questions about the extent of the Russian pullout.

Outside Poti, Russian troops were seen digging large trenches Friday morning near a bridge that provides the only access to the city. Five trucks, several armored personnel carriers and a helicopter were parked nearby. Another Russian position was seen in a wooded area outside the city.