The Russian president
indicated that recognition of the republic’s sovereignty by Russia opened up
broad prospects for its independent development.
TSKHINVAL, August 26.
/TASS/. Moscow will continue rendering assistance to South Ossetia, including
aid in the sphere of national security, Russian President Vladimir Putin said
in a message of greetings to the leadership and people of the fledgling South
Caucasian nation on the tenth anniversary of Russia recognizing the republic as
an independent state.
Russia’s Ambassador
to South Ossetia, Marat Kulakhmetov read the message out in the course of
celebrations of independence in Tskhinval.
"Russia notes
with pleasure the achievements South Ossetia has accomplished in building the
institutes of its statehood and in various branches of national
development," Putin said. "We plan to continue assistance in
resolving the national security issue your country is faced with."
He indicated that
recognition of the republic’s sovereignty by Russia opened up broad prospects
for its independent development. The Russian president also wished South
Ossetians peace and prosperity.
Overnight to August
8, 2008, Georgia’s government forces launched a massive armed attack on South
Ossetia, a former region of Georgia that had been pressing for independence
since the early 1990’s. Russia rose to defend the residents of the region, many
of whom had received Russian citizenship by then, as well as its peacekeepers
stationed there.
The five days of
hostilities claimed more than a thousand lives, including those of 72 Russian
military service members. Moscow recognized the independence of South Ossetia
and Abkhazia, another former autonomous region of Georgia, on August 26, 2008.
Source: ITAR-TASS
27-08-2018
