Tbilisi - Georgia and Russia made their first prisoner exchange on Tuesday as NATO leaders were set to meet in Brussels on the Ossetia war.

Russian officials at the Igoeti checkpoint, at the boundary between Georgian and Russian lines, handed over 13 Georgian prisoners of war and received 5 Russian servicemen in exchange.

It was the first handover of prisoners between combatants since the outbreak of the Ossetia war earlier this month.

The turnover had been planned for Monday but fell apart over accusations from both sides of procedural violations including incorrect names on POW lists.

London, Aug. 19 : Russia has reportedly placed short range SS-21 missiles in South Ossetia, that could pose a threat to most major Georgian cities," including the capital, Tbilisi, a U. S. defense official confirmed to Fox News on Monday.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman was quoted as saying that: "The only forces that are permitted to remain under the cease fire agreement are the forces that were in there at the Aug. 6 time frame."

"Anything such as that, or any other military equipment that was moved in would be in violation of this cease-fire and should be removed immediately," he added.

Paris - Former Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze Tuesday labelled Russia a threat to Europe and called for Moscow to be punished for its invasion of Georgia.

"The Georgia conflict is a test," the former Soviet foreign minister told the French daily Le Parisien. "If the Europeans let Russia away with this, what guarantee can they then give Poland or the Baltic states if the scenario repeats itself?"

Brussels - NATO foreign ministers will offer political and practical support to Georgia and will review the alliance's ties with Russia following its "excessive use of force" in the Caucasus, officials in Brussels said Monday.

At Tuesday's emergency meeting, which was requested by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, ministers will also call on Russia to observe the ceasefire and respect Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity by withdrawing its troops.

Stockholm  - Sweden on Monday said it will freeze its military cooperation with Russia in protest of the conflict in Georgia.

"During the current crisis the government says it until further notice will not conduct military manoeuvres with Russia or visit Russian military units," Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said after a meeting with the Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs.

Reinfeldt said a Swedish navy unit would next month cancel a planned visit to Russia.

Washington, Aug. 18: Washington has toughened its stance towards Russia as it sought to limit the damage to its prestige over the crisis in Georgia.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said that Russia's reputation is now "in tatters", even as Russia continues to search for a fresh pretext to extend its occupation of Georgian territory.

Rice, who is heading to Brussels today for an emergency NATO summit, called on Russian President Medvedev to ensure that he carries out his latest promise to withdraw troops.