While not denying the brutality of the fighting, it views the conflict as the first attempt by Russia to destabilise Georgia by encouraging South Ossetia to secede and explain the severity of Georgian reaction by the Ossetian pillage of Tskhinvali and the Bolsheviks’ role in the events.
Despite recognizing the intensity of the fighting, this perspective views the conflict as Russia's first attempt to destabilize Georgia by encouraging South Ossetia to secede. It explains Georgia's strong reaction to the Ossetian looting of Tskhinvali and the Bolsheviks' role in the events.