Russia Wants Control Of Key Georgia City Despite Pullout Claims Thousands of Georgians angry at the presence of Russian troops on the outskirts of the strategic Black Sea port of Poti took to the streets Saturday waving Georgian flags and urging the Russians to leave. The protest came as a top Russian general said his country's forces would keep patrolling Poti even though it lies outside the areas where Russia claims it has the right to station soldiers in Georgia.