Pertaining to the 10th anniversary of Georgian military aggression against South Ossetia
Over a long period of time South Ossetia has been the object of the predatory aspirations of the Georgian authorities. Since proclamation of the Georgian independence each new leader considered it his duty to start military actions, ethnic cleansings or genocides against the Ossetian people. Many thousands of the Ossetians were killed and massacred as a result of that. The genocides of the Ossetian people in 1920, 1989-1992, the military invasion in 2004 and, finally, the Georgian-Ossetian war in August 2008, in which the military confrontation culminated, left deep open wounds in hearts of the Ossetian people.
Exactly a decade has passed since those tragic days, when South Ossetia was treacherously attacked by Georgia on the eve of August 8. Expectations of the Georgian leadership were embarrassingly cynical. While the whole world was watching the opening of the Summer Olympics in Beijing, Georgian troops trained in NATO standards tried to capture South Ossetia by means of a blitzkrieg attack.
Sleeping Tskhinval and villages of the Republic incurred shelling and bombardments. Hundreds of innocent civilians were killed in short time. Thousands of people were left homeless, having lost overnight their property. Cars with refugees, public and residential buildings were shot at point-blank range by Georgian tanks and artillery. Only the firmness, courage and self-sacrifice of the South Ossetian defenders and the timely inference of Russia allowed South Ossetia to survive.
The Russian Federation not only came to the rescue and saved the people of South Ossetia from extermination, but also recognized the independence of the Republic of South Ossetia that ensures security of the people of South Ossetia and maintains peace in the region.
For ten years has the Republic of South Ossetia been living a peaceful life without shootings and the smell of war!
However, this stability does not give rest to neighboring Georgia and its Western patrons. Without any doubt, that military aggression became possible due to all-round support for political ambitions of Georgia from the USA and a number of states. No conclusions have been made for ten years. Moreover, they in Tbilisi are still dreaming of revenge and seizure of foreign lands.
With deep regret we have to state that it is no fortuitous that the large-scale military exercises Noble Partner 2018 coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Georgian military aggression against South Ossetia. Despite the stated focus of the joint exercises on promotion of stability and security in the Black Sea region, they doubtlessly serve specific political and strategic goals through demonstration of strength to neighboring states.
By increasing stockpiles of armaments and preparing new strike teams, Georgia is trying in every way to relieve itself of the responsibility for the crimes committed against the South Ossetian people. The Tbilisi regime is conducting a massive propaganda campaign. It is trying to deny obvious facts and, by means of replicated misinformation, convince the international community that Georgia itself is the victim of the aggression. Moreover, the war of August 2008 between Georgia and South Ossetia was, in Georgian opinion, between Russia and Georgia. However, despite the agility of the political manipulators from Tbilisi, the existing reality is unchangeable.
Taking into consideration the above mentioned circumstances and facts, showing that there are all reasons for concern about the risk of reiteration of the Georgian aggression, we are urging the member states of the Alliance to weight up the consequences of August 2008, consider the complicated balance of powers in the region and prevent half-baked decisions.
August 7, 2018, Tskhinval