“As such, it seems that Russia is trying to blackmail US and EU with the territory of the Georgia proper they are holding and their potential actions.”

Kind of makes my point. The only question is what were Russias intentions and where do they go from here. It doesn’t seem to me that the Russians were forcefully ground down. Moreover I think they were pulled into the vacuum of a Georgian military collapse. They burst out of SO and Abk as a forward defense then followed the retreating Georgians to their first redoubt. They seem to be taking their time, and as far as negotiated settlements are concerned, the party in the least hurry is in the best position to set conditions.