Following are transcripts of intercepted communications translated from the original
language, Ossetian.
Conversation between the duty officer at the Roki Tunnel and a border guard at
headquarters in Tskhinvali, intercepted Aug. 7 2008, 03:41.09.
BORDER GUARD: I'm listening.
DUTY OFFICER: Topol, the commander, a colonel, approached and said, "The guys
with you should check the vehicles." Is that O.K.?
BG: With you?
DO.: Yes.
BG: I don't know. I'll ask. And who is the colonel?
DO: I don't know. Their superior, the one in charge there. The BMPs [armored personnel
carriers] and other vehicles were sent here and they've crowded there. The guys are also
standing around. And he said that we should inspect the vehicles. I don't know. And he
went out.
BG: I'll check on this. Give me a call a little later.
DO: O.K., fine.
Conversation between the border guard at headquarters in Tskhinvali, and the duty
officer at the Roki Tunnel, intercepted Aug. 7, 2008, 03:52.13.
DUTY OFFICER: I'm listening?
BORDER GUARD: Hello.
DO: What?
BG: Did you just call?
DO: Yes.
BG: What is your surname?
DO: Gassiev
BG: Gassiev.
DO: Yes?
BG: Listen, has the armor arrived or what?
DO: The armor and people.
BG: They've gone through?
DO: Yes, 20 minutes ago; when I called you, they had already arrived.
BG: Was there a lot of armor?
DO: Yes. Tanks, BMPs and BDR(m)s. Everything.
BG: And that guy who came up to you, who was that?
DO: When? [INAUDIBLE] The surname is Kazachenko. He's a colonel.
BG: What?
DO: Kazachenko is his surname. He's a colonel.
BG: Good, good. O.K. Call the 103rd; he's saying something different. I mean the 102nd.
You are saying one thing, and he is telling us something else. Call the 102nd and tell him.
DO: He just called me, and I told him everything.
BG: Well, call him anyway, and after that have him call me.
DO: O.K., understood.
BG: Bye.
Conversation between a North Ossetian peacekeeper and a senior military observer of
the North Ossetian peacekeeping force, intercepted Aug. 8, 2008, 03:02.10.
P
EACEKEEPER: Hello
MILITARY OBSERVER: How are you?
PK: (Aside) Hook up your radios or else we're all going to be [expletive deleted].
MO: What did you turn on?
PK: No, I'm not talking to you. (Aside): Yes, otherwise we'll be [expletive deleted]…
MO: Hey, listen, I'm asking, how are you?
PK: Well, [expletive deleted], [expletive deleted]. But we'll come up with something.
MO: How far have they come?
PK: They are coming up gradually from everywhere.
MO: And do they have aircraft?
PK: Yes, yes. We'll figure out how to deal with them.
MO: O.K., O.K. And those who came through the tunnel, have they arrived?
PK: No. They haven't arrived yet, but they are on their way; they are close.
MO: O.K., fine. Bye.
Conversation between the Ossetian border guard duty officer at the Roki Tunnel and
an official of the South Ossetian Border Guard Service in Tskhinvali, intercepted Aug.
8, 2008, 03:12.32.
OSSETIAN BORDER GUARD: Hello
SOUTH OSSETIAN OFFICIAL: Who is this?
OBG: Who am I?
SOO: Ahh, Edik.
OBG: Yeah?
SOO: Well, what's going on? Has anyone finally gotten down there?
OBG: Gotten down where?
SOO: Has anyone gotten down there to our side with equipment?
OBG: Yes, yes, don't speak about this over the phone?
SOO: Is anything moving? Is the armor there?
OBG: Yes, yes, yes, everything is there?
SOO: How long is it going to take them? What? Are they going to arrive when the city is
already [expletive deleted] destroyed?
OBG: Don't be afraid. Keep firing.
SOO: Who do you want me to shoot? It's impossible to go outside. I'm standing in the
toilet on one leg.
OBG: (Laughing) Well then fart them out of there. (Phone rings) O.K., talk to you later.
SOO: You call us for God's sake.
OBG: They've left already.
SOO: A...
