TBILISI. Aug 14 (Interfax) - The city of Gori, which is located close to the Georgian-South Ossetian border, is controlled jointly by the Georgian police and the Russian troops, Russian Defense Ministry official Vyacheslav Borisov told the Georgian press.

In the next two days, all posts in the city will be controlled by the Georgian police and Russian troops, after which the Russian troops will leave Gori, he said.

"The police have now returned to the city and all civilians will be able to return too after control is established," Borisov said.

Locals have started returning to the city and there is no major destruction there, he said.

In the meantime, the Georgian media reported this week that Russian planes had bombed Gori.

High-ranking officials in Tbilisi made statements saying that the city had been abandoned by the authorities and there was looting going on there. The Russian military have denied this information.