The 10-day confrontation dealt a crushing blow to the Georgian military, damaged the country’s economy and drew some criticism in the West of President Mikheil Saakashvili.

Sunday saw no evidence of fighting, but Russian troops continued to man a checkpoint into Gori, albeit with a reduced presence — two armoured personnel carriers.

Major-General Vyacheslav Borisov, frontline commander around Gori, which lies 30 km (20 miles) beyond South Ossetia, told Reuters troops were already on the move. He said troops were maintaining positions around Gori, a city controlling the approach to South Ossetia and the main east-west highway, to protect Russia’s military pullout.

We were the first in, so we’ll be the last out, said Borisov, now a familiar figure touring the area of his command in his Georgian four-wheel-drive.