TBLISI , Georgia ( CNN ) -- Russian forces launched an airstrike against a military airfield near the Tbilisi International Airport early Sunday , despite international calls for Russia to stand down from the escalating conflict , Georgian officials told CNN . The attack near the Georgian capital city came after a day of intense fighting in the former Soviet republic , with dozens of Russian warplanes bombing civilian and military targets in Georgia on Saturday . As many as 2,000 people had been killed in the capital of separatist Georgian province South Ossetia , according to a Russian ambassador . `` The city of Tskhinvali no longer exists . There is nothing left . It was wiped out by the Georgian military , '' the Russian news agency Interfax said , quoting the Russian ambassador to Georgia , Vyacheslav Kovalenko . Tskhinvali residents who survived the bombardment by hiding in basements and later fled the city estimated that hundreds of civilians had died . They said bodies were everywhere , according to The Associated Press . CNN could not independently confirm any death tolls , which varied greatly depending on the source . Alexander Lomaia , secretary of Georgia 's National Security Council , said dozens of Georgian troops had lost their lives . Watch Georgian minister describe fighting in South Ossetia » . `` Our losses are mounting ... as many as 40 military servicemen killed and over 100 wounded , '' he said . `` The losses are also mounting among civilian population in the cities . '' Lomaia said Georgian troops in Tskhinvali were engaged in fierce ground battles on Saturday with Russian troops , whom he said were engaged in a full-scale military operation . The operation included tanks , armored vehicles , heavy artillery , soldiers and paratroopers , Lomaia said . Military aircraft were crossing the Georgian border about every 15 minutes , he said , hitting civilian , economic and military targets . He said that at least 50 military jets were being used . Watch images of crashed Georgian war plane » . `` Frankly , we have not expected the Russian invaders to hit our residential buildings , to hit our peaceful cities , to hit our peaceful citizens , '' he said . He said he could n't confirm whether Georgia 's capital , Tbilisi , had been hit . `` From the legal point of view , our actions are absolutely justified and legitimate , '' Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in Vladikavkaz , the capital of the Russian region of North Ossetia . `` Moreover , they are necessary . '' He arrived in the region that borders South Ossetia on Saturday night . Putin 's press secretary told Interfax that the premier was concerned about the flood of refugees arriving in Russia from South Ossetia . Russian officials said that more than 30,000 refugees have left South Ossetia and crossed into Russia over the past two days , Interfax reported . `` The actions of the Georgian authorities in South Ossetia are a crime , of course , primarily a crime against their own people , '' Putin said . `` This aggression led to numerous casualties , among civilians in particular , and virtually caused a real humanitarian catastrophe . And that is already a crime against the Ossetian people , '' he said . `` At the same time I would like to stress that Georgia has always been greatly respected in Russia and Georgians regarded as brotherly people , '' the premier said . Russians struck several major targets Saturday , including the Black Sea port of Poti , an airport , a major pipeline and a military base and train station in Senaki in western Georgia , Lomaia said . Georgian officials said that a center housing civilians had also been hit . Eight Georgians died in the port town , Georgian officials said . The Kodori Gorge in upper Abkhazia -- a second breakaway province in Georgia -- was also bombarded by at least 12 Russian jets , Lomaia said . Georgia 's public television station reported a second round of bombings in Abkhazia at just before 11:30 p.m. Military bases at Vaziani and Marneuli also came under attack , the British Foreign Office said , and Russian aircraft bombed the Georgian town of Gori , about 35 miles northwest of Tbilisi , Georgian officials said . An Associated Press reporter who visited Gori shortly after the Russian airstrikes Saturday saw several apartment buildings in ruins , some still on fire , and scores of dead bodies and bloodied civilians . The elderly , women and children were among the victims . A Russian naval fleet was anchored in the Black Sea port of Ochamchire in Abkhazia province , Lomaia added . `` We have managed to down 10 Russian jets , and one of the pilots has been captured alive and is being treated in a military hospital , '' Lomaia said . `` We have also destroyed up to 30 Russian tanks and heavy military [ vehicles ] . '' The situation in South Ossetia escalated rapidly from Thursday night , when Georgia said it had launched an operation into the region after its unilateral cease-fire was met with artillery fire from separatists that killed 10 people , including peacekeepers and civilians . It accused Russia of backing the separatists . Russian tanks began rolling into Georgia on Thursday night . On Saturday , the Georgian parliament approved President Mikhail Saakashvili 's request to impose a `` state of war '' for 15 days , officials said . The order is not a formal declaration of war and stops short of declaring martial law , according to Georgian officials . It gives Saakashvili powers he would not ordinarily have , such as issuing curfews , restricting the movement of people or limiting commercial activities , those officials said . Saakashvili asked Western leaders to pressure Russia to agree to an immediate cease-fire . `` We are dealing with absolutely criminal and crazy acts of irresponsible and reckless decision makers , which is on the ground producing dramatic and tragic consequences , '' Saakashvili said Saturday afternoon . U.S. President Bush , speaking from Beijing , China , called for an immediate halt to the violence , a stand-down by all troops and an end to the Russian bombings . He urged the sides to return to `` the status quo of August the 6th . '' Watch Bush express concerns over situation » . `` The attacks are occurring in regions of Georgia far from the zone of conflict in South Ossetia . They mark a dangerous escalation in the crisis , '' Bush said in a statement while attending the Olympic Games , according to The Associated Press . Bush spoke Saturday evening to Saakashvili and Russian President Medvedev , a White House spokesman said . The war , Saakashvili said , `` is not about South Ossetia . It has never been in the first place . It is about destroying a small democratic nation aspiring to live in peace , freedom and liberty . '' `` This unprovoked , long-time-ago-planned invasion and aggression must stop , '' he said . It was unclear which side controlled Tskhinvali on Saturday . The Georgians said fighting raged , but the Russians said they had `` liberated '' the city . `` Battalion task forces have fully liberated Tskhinvali of Georgian armed forces and started pushing Georgian units out of the area of responsibility of the peacekeeping forces , '' General Vladimir Boldyrev , commander of the Russian Ground Forces , told Interfax . Colonel-General Anatoly Nogovitsyn , a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry , said that Georgians had shot down two Russian aircraft , contradicting Georgian claims . Georgia , a pro-Western ally of the United States , is intent on asserting its authority over South Ossetia and Abkhazia . Both have strong Russian-backed separatist movements . Inside South Ossetia , civilians have been without water , electricity and basic services for more than a day , said Maia Kardava , a Red Cross spokeswoman in Tbilisi . She said the Red Cross was unable to reach colleagues based in Tskhinvali because their phones had lost power and they were huddled in bomb shelters . CNN 's Elise Labott and journalist Elene Gotsadze contributed to this report . Copyright 2008 CNN . All rights reserved.This material may not be published , broadcast , rewritten , or redistributed . Associated Press contributed to this report .
2,000 people have been killed in South Ossetia , Russian ambassador says . 40 military killed and mounting civilian casualties , Georgia official says . Russian prime minister : Georgia 's actions are `` crime against their own people . '' French President Nicolas Sarkozy proposes an immediate cease-fire .