The Russian military appears to be living up to its commitment to withdraw from positions outside Goergia's breakway province of South Ossetia.

Russia occupied the territory following the conflict that erupted in August after Georgia attacked South Ossetia in an effort to regain control of the separatist region.

It agreed to pull out of the "buffer zone" before tomorrow as part of a French-brokered peace deal and has apparently already completed that withdrawal with more a day left before the deadline expires.

However, Russia is vowing to maintain positions in South Ossetia and another breakaway province, Abkhazia, where the majority of residents are Russian citizens.