TODAY: Medvedev visits South Ossetia in move called ‘provocation’ by Saakashvili, flouting US comments about unity of Georgia?; British academics bemoan closure of history website; Bolshoi’s musical director quits

Medvedev has made a surprise visit to South Ossetia to pledge support for its leadership, a move condemned by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who called the visit ‘the most immoral and shameful precedent in centuries’.   Medvedev and South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity visited a Russian military base in Tskhinvali.  The Russian President promised citizens that rebuilding would take place and announced that ‘there is a need to support and cooperate in the defense sphere‘.  Commentators suggest a rebuke to Obama who asserted the independence of Georgia on his recent trip to Moscow.  The New York Times argues that ‘the visit underlined the stark differences that remain between Russia and the United States after last week’s presidential meeting’.