TODAY: Medvedev is hawkish on further conflict; Russia has not withdrawn troops, closes Georgian border, begins exchanging prisoners; Red Cross barred from entering South Ossetia; youth movement coordinator charged for blog entries; PR war continues; US freezes Nato-Russia Council; concern over racial violence; Prokofiev. In a move that “appeared to be aimed at projecting an image of him as the politician calling the shots in Moscow,” President Dmitry Medvedev has announced that any power moving against Russian citizens would suffer “a shattering blow”. Despite a Russian announcement that a gradual withdrawal from Georgia was underway, Russian troops and tanks did not move out through the main military crossing point last night. Borders between the two have been partially closed by Russia, ostensibly to prevent it from being entered by “foreign terrorists”. It is thought that the exchange of Russian and Georgian prisoners, which began today, may reduce tensions and hasten a troop withdrawal. Although Moscow may have won the military war against Georgia, analysts suggest that it lost the PR war. “I can’t recall another conflict, or any government at another time of crisis, using CNN the way the Georgian government is,” said one. Georgia has barred broadcasts by the Russian-language RTVi television channel after it screened an interview with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, during which he criticized Georgian leadership. Russia has been spinning President Mikheil Saakashvili’s tie-munching, and Fox News is accused of cutting short a pro-Russia war report, says the Moscow Times. Novaya Gazeta’s St. Petersburg edition has been accused by the federal media watchdog of inciting hatred toward Georgians and faces possible closure.