Russian troops (R) and Georgian police stand at a joint checkpoint on the main road to Tbilisi near the town of Gori, some 80 km (50 miles) from the capital, August 14, 2008. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev pledged support on Thursday for Abkhazia and South Ossetia fighting for independence from Georgia, as Washington demanded that the war-torn country's territorial integrity be respected. [Agencies]