IGOETI, Georgia — A Russian armored column moved away from a base in western Georgia and Russian forces also were leaving the key central city of Gori today, the day that Russia's president had said a pullback would be complete.

No Russian forces could be seen today in and around Igoeti, which had been their closest position to Georgia's capital.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and other officials have said Russian forces would pull back to separatist regions and surrounding security zones by day's end.

But there were still signs of preparations for a continued Russian military presence in other areas of Georgia.

Russia sent its tanks and troops into Georgia after Georgia launched a heavy artillery barrage Aug. 7 on the separatist, pro-Russian province of South Ossetia. Fighting also has flared in a second Georgian breakaway region, Abkhazia.

The short war has driven tensions between Russia and the West to some of their highest levels since the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union.

A cease-fire signed by the presidents of Russia and Georgia calls for Russian forces to pull back to the positions they held before Aug. 7. The cease-fire allows Russia to maintain troops in a zone extending about four miles into Georgia along the South Ossetian border.

A Russian armored column of 83 tanks, APCs and trucks hauling artillery was seen moving today toward the border of the breakaway Abkhazia region. Georgian police said the vehicles had come from the western Senaki military base.

Georgian Security Council head Alexander Lomaia said "we are seeing the pullback of Russian troops" from Gori, a key crossroads in central Georgia. Earlier, Gori regional governor Vladimir Vardzelashvili said that 40 Russian military vehicles had left Gori heading north.

A top Russian general later amended President Dmitry Medvedev's prediction, saying Thursday it could be 10 days before the bulk of Russian troops leave Georgia.