• Miliband demands coalition stand against Russia
  
• France accuses Russia of 'ethnic cleansing'
• Russian diplomat compares spiralling tensions to 1914
• Moscow recognises breakaway Georgian provinces
  

Enlarge 

Defiance: The front page of Tvoi Den today makes no secret of what it thinks of the West

Russian media have made it clear what the country thinks of the West's  response to the Georgian crisis.

One newspaper ran the headline 'Tak You!' above an image of a fist with its middle finger raised - a play on words that will be read as 'F**k You' by its millions of readers.

The Tvoi Den (Your Day) newspaper ran the headline today.

'You' is written in English, not Cyrillic, and 'Tak' is like a stronger version of 'serves you right' - and will be taken in this context as even stronger.

The strap below states: 'For the first time in many years Russia has clearly shown to the West that we're not going to live by its order.'

Other newspapers express similar sentiments, cheering Russia's defiance as it finally stands up to the hated West.

As Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said his country is unafraid of a new Cold War and a diplomat compared spiralling tensions to the unstoppable events that sparked off the First World War, many papers make the point that the world is on the brink of new danger.

There are also warnings that Russia has contributed to this.

Russia's NATO envoy today declared that military aid to Georgia for use against South Ossetia and Abkhazia would be seen as a "declaration of war", in an extraordinary warning to the West.

Yesterday Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said his country is 'not afraid of anything, including the prospect of a new Cold War'.

His defiance came as Foreign Secretary David Miliband called for a new 'coalition against Russian aggression' today while on a trip to support the pro-Western government of Ukraine.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (right) meets with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin - the 'real architect' of the Georgia conflict - and the Security Council (unseen) in Sochi yesterday

David Miliband said Russia's Cold War threats are 'unacceptable'

Hitting back at Moscow's decision to recognise the independence of the two breakaway regions in Georgia, Mr Miliband said he was visiting Kiev to protest at the 'unjustifiable and unnacceptable' move by the Kremlin.

Ukraine president Viktor Yushchenko warned overnight that his country was a 'hostage' in Russia's war in Georgia.

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev deepened the Georgia crisis yesterday by insisting that South Ossetia and Abkhazia should be independent nations, saying: 'We are not afraid of anything, including the prospect of a new Cold War.'

Ominous Russian threats of a world war set off alarm bells in the West last night after Moscow formally recognised the two breakaway republics in war-torn Georgia.

In a move that is likely to increase tensions even further, the Russian president later warned that his country may respond to a US missile shield in Europe through military means.

And a senior Russian diplomat compared growing tensions in the Caucasus to the unstoppable events of 1914 that triggered four years of conflict.

In a speech today, Mr Miliband said Russia's recognition of the two regions further inflamed a tense situation.

'It will also not work. It is contrary to the principles of the peace agreement, which Russia recently agreed, and to recent Russian statements,' he said.

Fears: Russian ambassador to NATO Dmitry Rogozin compared tensions over Georgia to the First World War

'It takes no account of the views of the hundreds of thousands of Georgians and others who have been forced to abandon their homes in the two territories.'

He said that he wanted 'the widest possible coalition against Russian aggression'.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner accused Russia of breaking international law by recognizing the independence  of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Kouchner said the EU 'cannot accept these violations of international law' and other agreements, including U.N. resolutions.

The minister also warned on Europe 1 radio today of the danger of ethnic cleansing by Russian forces.

He says there is 'evidence that the armies are pushing away the Ossetians that favoured Georgia, and in a certain way, yes, an ethnic cleansing is taking place'.

David Miliband's call for the coalition to stand against Russia was backed by US President George Bush and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Mr Bush condemned Mr Medvedev's decision as 'irresponsible' and called the move 'inconsistent' with UN Security Council resolutions and the French-brokered ceasefire plan. 'Russia's action only exacerbates tensions and complicates diplomatic negotiations,' he said.

Ms Merkel condemned Russia's decision as 'absolutely not acceptable' but said Europe must keep open channels of communication with Moscow.

Tensions have spiralled as Russia recognised the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia

Britain led a chorus of condemnation after Moscow overruled international appeals to announce the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two separatist regions in Georgia.

The move posed a direct challenge to British and American pledges of support for the beleaguered democracy's territorial integrity.

There have been fears that Moscow is preparing to make the two rebel enclaves part of Russia.

EU leaders are due to meet in Brussels next week to discuss their response to the growing crisis.

Downing Street said yesterday that the gathering underlined the 'strong interest' of the EU in tackling the issues.

But Russian president Dmitry Medvedev showed no sign of heeding warnings from western countries that the move was a flagrant breach of international law.

He said Georgia's attempt to seize back the two regions by force earlier this month had killed all hopes for their peaceful co-existence in one state with Georgia.

He said Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili had chosen 'genocide to solve his political tasks', adding that his country did not seek a new Cold War - but was not afraid of one.

Mr Medvedev also said the deployment of an anti-missile system close to Russian borders 'will, of course, create additional tensions'.

He said: 'We will have to react somehow, to react, of course, in a military way.'

Russia's actions brought jubilant scenes in the Abkhaz capital Sukhumi where residents fired shots into the air, and uncorked champagne bottles.

Similar celebrations were seen in the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali.

Georgia and Russia fought a brief war over the breakaway region of South Ossetia earlier this month after Georgia sent in troops to try to retake the province by force. Russia responded with a massive counter-attack by land, sea and air.

In Brussels Russian envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin compared the position to the eve of World War One, saying a new freeze in relations was inevitable.

Russian troops pictured in the town of Gori last month during the country's brief war with Georgia

'The current atmosphere reminds me of the situation in Europe in 1914 ... when, because of one terrorist, leading world powers clashed,' he said.

'I hope Mikheil Saakashvili will not go down in history as a new Gavrilo Princip,' he added, referring to the man who in August 1914 killed Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand, triggering the First World War.

Russia also yesterday halted planned visits by senior NATO officials and joint military exercises with the alliance.

However, Moscow stopped short of ending co-operation in Afghanistan. But Mr Rogozin warned: 'If NATO start smashing the dinnerware, then we can add more to the list.'

Moscow was last night ' negotiating' diplomatic relations with the two enclaves, which have been effectively in Russia's control since the fall of the U.S.S.R.

The separatist regime of South Ossetia has offered a military base to Russia, it was reported.

Both South Ossetia and Abkhazia are recognised under international law as being part of Georgia.

Mr Medvedev further cranked up the rhetoric last night as he accused U.S. naval vessels in Georgia's Black Sea port of Poti of delivering arms.

Asked if Russia was mounting a blockade of ships off Poti, Mr Medvedev replied: 'Any ship can get in, American and others are bringing in humanitarian cargoes.

'And what the Americans call humanitarian cargoes - of course, they are bringing in weapons.'

The White House said the U.S. would use its veto power on the U.N. Security Council to ensure that Abkhazia and South Ossetia remain part of Georgia in the eyes of the world.