Russia Claims Georgia Pullout Will Come Monday

But as Al-Jazeera reports, there's not too much evidence of that happening, with Russian tanks still dug in just half an hour from the Georgian capital of Tbilisi:

"Al Jazeera's Jonah Hull said there was no evidence of even preparations for a withdrawal.

Right up until the end of Sunday, Russians were digging in with spades to build fortified positions for tanks, armoured personnel carriers and anti-aircraft guns, with no effort to pull back at all, our correspondent said.

Russian troops were also controlling the city and air base of Senaki, which sits on a key intersection controlling access to the Black Sea port city of Poti and the road north to Abkhazia.

And Russia confirmed that it had taken over a major power plant in western Georgia on Sunday."

In other news on the conflict:

• German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday that Georgia will become a member of NATO "if it wants to -- and it does want to."

• French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Russia faces "serious consequences" if it doesn't comply with the cease-fire plan.

• In his weekly radio address, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called Georgia a "nothing but a puppet of the U.S. empire" and backed Russia. Also, Chavez, who's opened his checkbook for millions in Russian arms in the past and is considering getting Russian subs to patrol his coast, claimed a Russian naval fleet will be visiting Venezuela.

IN PICTURES: Suffering in the occupied city of Gori

BATTLE BACKGROUND: Why is there conflict over South Ossetia?

(Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)