A day after he sent Russian forces into South Ossetia to repel the Georgian army, President Dmitry Medvedev responded to mounting Western criticism by saying the truth was on Russia's side and that, eventually, it would become apparent to the whole world.

That day has finally come, and Russia is vindicated. Its story has not changed and is holding up, while Saakashvili's version is collapsing. Medvedev's credibility is rising.

Recent media reports from the Caucasus have questioned Tbilisi's account of the war. Articles in The New York Times and The Washington Post found that the shelling of civilian areas in Tskhinvali began far earlier than Georgia had alleged.

Monitors from the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe said Russian forces entered South Ossetia about eight or 10 hours after Georgia started shelling Tskhinvali and attacking the positions of Russian peacekeepers.