Noon local time (8 a.m. GMT)
Up to 150 Russian soldiers left Poti this morning -- their entire contingent. At exactly 8 a.m. the Russians vacated the Nabada checkpoint; 15 minutes later the personnel stationed at the Seventh Kilometer checkpoint followed them.
The Russian forces and their military hardware formed a long column. There were eight loaded Ural trucks and 10 armored personnel carriers; Russian flags were flying on the armored vehicles.
The soldiers were not aggressive towards journalists -- they were even waving good-bye to us. But they still declined to make any comments. On their way out of Poti they were taking photographs; some even crossed themselves as they left town. It seemed like they were happy to leave -- needless to say, this mood greatly resonated with how the residents of Poti felt as they watched them leave.
Demining units have started inspecting the areas where the Russian checkpoints were located. Journalists are not allowed to approach those areas, as it is still not known whether it is safe to go there. Presumably, the inspection will be finished by the evening and it will become possible for us to go and see those places then.
This is the first day in a long while that residents of Poti awoke to genuinely good news. A great sense of relief and joy is palpable everywhere.
Busy streets in a more optimistic Poti
1 p.m. local time (9 a.m. GMT) This is supposed to be the Russian soldiers' last day in Poti. If Mayor Saghinadze's claims are true, the last of the forces should leave by Saturday. Indeed, the Russians are clearly preparing to leave -- but they don't seem to be in any kind of hurry. In theory, all they have to do is fold up their tents and go. But the tents are still standing, and the soldiers are continuing to slowly load their Ural trucks.At least there seem to be fewer of them. The mayor of Poti is already sharing some positive news. Countering widespread fears that the destruction and insecurity caused by the invasion would have a long-term impact on Poti's economic future, Mayor Saghinadze is already engaged in negotiations with new investors. Part of Poti's coastline, the site of citrus plantations during Soviet times, has been granted to the Orthodox Church, but 450 hectares remain and are in need of development.Now, it turns out, a company from an Arab state has expressed interest, and is planning to invest $2 million in the area. The local authorities have reportedly received the news as a sign of Poti's imminent development and bright future.
10:30 p.m. local time (6:30 p.m. GMT)
The Russian troops are still packing up to leave, as far as we can tell. (As you can see, we're all watching them pretty closely.)
Their tents are still pitched and flags are still flying, but today there were noticeably fewer soldiers at the checkpoints.
Last night, the Russians lit campfires and just sat around trying to keep warm. It's gotten colder in Poti with the approach of fall and virtually nonstop rain.
The pullout, obviously, is the main topic of everyone’s discussions these days. The anxiety and skepticism that dominated the general atmosphere have given way to hopefulness and anticipation. One of the most telling indicators of that transformation is that most people I talk to now say they plan to send their children to school when it opens on September 15. It’s gotten safe enough to do so, they say, unlike even a few days ago.
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