The UN Security Council will hold an emergency session to discuss the situation in South Ossetia, Itar-Tass news agency and Russian news channel Vesti reported.

The session, which has been requested by the Russian side, is expected for 7am Moscow time on August 8, the Russian media reported, quoting a spokesperson of the Russian mission at the UN.

Meanwhile, Boris Malakhov, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman, told Vesti news channel on August 8 that it was still not too late to prevent “mass bloodshed.”

“It is now becoming clear why the Georgian side refused, under various pretexts, to sign a legally binding document on the non-use of force,” he added.

Meanwhile, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried said in an interview with Reuters on August 7 that he had spoken with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin by telephone, and “we both agreed to work together to get the fighting stopped in South Ossetia, and encourage political dialogue.”

“It appears that the South Ossetians have instigated this uptake in violence," Fried said. "We have urged the Russians to urge their South Ossetian friends to pull back and show greater restraint. And we believe that the Russians ... are trying to do just that."

“We're urging the Georgians to exercise restraint, but it seems the South Ossetians are the provocative party,” he added.