Ryan Grist
Encyclopedia
Dr.Ryan Grist is a former British Army
Captain who was in charge of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE) monitors in Georgia
during the breakout of the 2008 South Ossetia war
. He is a veteran of military and diplomatic missions from Northern Ireland
to Bosnia,the Middle East, Kosovo
,and Moldova. His comments had a major effect on the international opinion of the war.
diplomats in Tbilisi
, the Georgian capital, with his assessment of the conflict.
n bombardment began, "Georgian rockets and artillery were hitting civilian areas in the breakaway region of South Ossetia
every 15 or 20 seconds". According to Mr. Grist, it was Georgia
that launched the first military strikes against Tskhinvali
, the South Ossetia
n capital. Georgian authorities later accused Grist of working for the Russian intelligence service.
"It was clear to me that the Georgian attack
was completely indiscriminate and disproportionate to any, if indeed there had been any, provocation,” Grist said. “The attack was clearly, in my mind, an indiscriminate attack on the town, as a town."
Mr. Grist's views were echoed and confirmed by another senior OSCE official, Stephen Young, a former Royal Air Force
Wing Commander.
Grist has accused the OSCE of failing to warn that this summer's Russia-Georgia conflict
was looming. He was particularly critical of the Head of the OSCE Mission to Georgia, Ambassador Terhi Hakala (who was on holiday in Finland at the time of the conflict), for her reluctance to take a firm position regarding the dangerous build up of Georgian military forces around South Ossetia in the weeks before the conflict, the use of sniper attacks into South Ossetia by Georgian forces, and the use of indirect fire weapons by Georgia. According to the BBC, he had warned of Georgia's military activity and build up of forces south of Tskhinvali before the Georgian move into the South Ossetia region. He said it was an "absolute failure" that reports were not passed on by bosses, most of whom were on summer vacation.
On August 7, Hakala, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Georgia (in Finland at the time) had told the OSCE chairman Alexander Stubb
, that the situation was dangerous, but that it was not a problem. At 11:30 p.m on August 7, Georgia began a major artillery assault on Tskhinvali. It was followed by a ground invasion in the early hours of August 8 and Russian forces responded later that day. Major warfare lasted for five days.
Referring to OSCE monitors accounts from Tskhinvali, Giga Bokeria
, Georgia's deputy foreign minister said, "That information, I don't know what it is and how it is confirmed."
The Wall Street Journal
claimed that in an interview Grist "acknowledged he crossed through Russian lines without authorization on his own initiative to determine the facts, which ultimately cost him his OSCE job. He resigned from the OSCE immediately after the war. WSJ adds, Grist remains "scathing" about Georgian actions before and during the war., but says that some of his comments have been overinterpreted and quotes Grist saying "I have never said there was no provocation by the South Ossetians." "What I have said is that the response from the Georgian authorities was absolutely disproportionate," said Mr. Grist.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
Captain who was in charge of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
(OSCE) monitors in Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
during the breakout of the 2008 South Ossetia war
2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
. He is a veteran of military and diplomatic missions from Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
to Bosnia,the Middle East, Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
,and Moldova. His comments had a major effect on the international opinion of the war.
OSCE monitor
On the night war broke out, Grist was the senior OSCE official in Georgia. He was in charge of unarmed monitors who became trapped by the fighting. He successfully coordinated the evacuation of these observers, and based on their observations, briefed European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
diplomats in Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, the Georgian capital, with his assessment of the conflict.
Briefings on the 2008 South Ossetia war
In his briefing Mr. Grist concluded that, before the RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n bombardment began, "Georgian rockets and artillery were hitting civilian areas in the breakaway region of South Ossetia
South Ossetia
South Ossetia or Tskhinvali Region is a disputed region and partly recognized state in the South Caucasus, located in the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic....
every 15 or 20 seconds". According to Mr. Grist, it was Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
that launched the first military strikes against Tskhinvali
Tskhinvali
Tskhinvali , is the capital of South Ossetia, a disputed region which has been recognised as an independent Republic by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Nauru, and is regarded by Georgia and the rest of the world as part of the Shida Kartli region within Georgian sovereign territory.It is located...
, the South Ossetia
South Ossetia
South Ossetia or Tskhinvali Region is a disputed region and partly recognized state in the South Caucasus, located in the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic....
n capital. Georgian authorities later accused Grist of working for the Russian intelligence service.
"It was clear to me that the Georgian attack
Battle of Tskhinvali
The Battle of Tskhinvali was a fight for the city of Tskhinvali, capital of South Ossetia. It was the only major battle in the 2008 South Ossetia War. Georgian ground troops entered the city on early 8 August 2008, after an extensive artillery barrage. Their advance was stopped by South Ossetian...
was completely indiscriminate and disproportionate to any, if indeed there had been any, provocation,” Grist said. “The attack was clearly, in my mind, an indiscriminate attack on the town, as a town."
Mr. Grist's views were echoed and confirmed by another senior OSCE official, Stephen Young, a former Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Wing Commander.
Grist has accused the OSCE of failing to warn that this summer's Russia-Georgia conflict
2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
was looming. He was particularly critical of the Head of the OSCE Mission to Georgia, Ambassador Terhi Hakala (who was on holiday in Finland at the time of the conflict), for her reluctance to take a firm position regarding the dangerous build up of Georgian military forces around South Ossetia in the weeks before the conflict, the use of sniper attacks into South Ossetia by Georgian forces, and the use of indirect fire weapons by Georgia. According to the BBC, he had warned of Georgia's military activity and build up of forces south of Tskhinvali before the Georgian move into the South Ossetia region. He said it was an "absolute failure" that reports were not passed on by bosses, most of whom were on summer vacation.
On August 7, Hakala, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Georgia (in Finland at the time) had told the OSCE chairman Alexander Stubb
Alexander Stubb
Cai-Göran Alexander Stubb is a Finnish politician and Minister for Foreign Affairs from 4 April 2008 to 22 June 2011...
, that the situation was dangerous, but that it was not a problem. At 11:30 p.m on August 7, Georgia began a major artillery assault on Tskhinvali. It was followed by a ground invasion in the early hours of August 8 and Russian forces responded later that day. Major warfare lasted for five days.
Criticism
Georgia, and some Western diplomats in Tbilisi later questioned Grist's objectivity. Ambassador Hakala also made serious accusations against him. However, his remarks were later verified by a lenthy investigation by the European Union.Referring to OSCE monitors accounts from Tskhinvali, Giga Bokeria
Giga Bokeria
Giorgi Bokeria is a Georgian politician and the current Secretary of the National Security Council of Georgia.During 1989–1995 Bokeria was one of the leaders of student movement, in particular active member of Press Club of Tbilisi State University...
, Georgia's deputy foreign minister said, "That information, I don't know what it is and how it is confirmed."
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
claimed that in an interview Grist "acknowledged he crossed through Russian lines without authorization on his own initiative to determine the facts, which ultimately cost him his OSCE job. He resigned from the OSCE immediately after the war. WSJ adds, Grist remains "scathing" about Georgian actions before and during the war., but says that some of his comments have been overinterpreted and quotes Grist saying "I have never said there was no provocation by the South Ossetians." "What I have said is that the response from the Georgian authorities was absolutely disproportionate," said Mr. Grist.