Russia on Tuesday formally recognized the independence of the two Georgian regions that its military now occupies, further inflaming relations with the United States in a standoff that recalls the Cold War.
The announcement by President Dmitry Medvedev, in disregard of repeated U.S. warnings, confirmed Russia's return to the world stage as a military power willing to use force to recapture former Soviet territories. It raises the prospect that the breakaway areas, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, will join the Russian Federation or operate as satellites.
"We're not afraid of anything, of the prospect of a Cold War," Medvedev said Tuesday. "Of course, we don't want that. In this situation everything depends on the stand of ... the world community and our partners in the West."
Medvedev said that if Western powers are willing to work with Russia, the situation will "be calm."
"But if they choose a confrontational scenario, we will be responsive," he said.
There was strong condemnation of Medvedev's announcement from Washington and several European capitals, and no sign that any nation of strategic significance will follow Russia's lead.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called the Kremlin's decision "extremely unfortunate."
"Abkhazia and South Ossetia are a part of the internationally recognized borders of Georgia and it's going to remain so," Rice said.
President Bush urged Russia to "reconsider this irresponsible decision," which he said was inconsistent with U.N. Security Council resolutions that predate the conflict and a cease-fire agreement.
A U.S. Navy destroyer is off the coast of Georgia, with two more military ships reported to be on the way carrying humanitarian aid.
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