News

00:06 – Heavy artillery shelling from the Georgian villages of Nikozi and Ergneti, as well as from the Georgian city of Gori, targeted at the capital city of the Republic of South Ossetia, Tskhinval, has begun. Ossetian villages of Dmenis, Sarabuk, Satikar, Tsunar, Khetagurovo, Velit, Mugut, Didmukha, Znaur, Galuanta and others are also under heavy shelling.
00:42 – Georgia has officially announced the war. The Commander of the Georgian peacekeepers Mamuka Kurashvili officially informs the Commander of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces (JPKF) in the conflict zone, Major-General Marat Kulakhmetov, that Georgia is starting its military operation in the zone of Georgian-Osseitan conflict to restore constitutional order in South Ossetia. He calls on the Russian peacekeepers deployed in the conflict zone not to interfere into the situation.

In relation to the second anniversary of the armed aggression of Georgia against South Ossetia

The president of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity informed at his press-conference that while visiting Venezuela and Nicragua in July he had invited the presidents of these Latina American states to visit South Ossetia during the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the Republic on 20 September 2010. “The president of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega and the president of Venezuela Hugo Chavez provised to visit our country. Daniel Ortega said he would come on 20 September, and Hugo Chavez will not be able to attend the celebrations on 20 September due to the parliamentary elections taking place in Venezuela on 23 September, but he will definitely come to South Ossetia in near future. In any case, these highly respected presidents will visit our Republic”, informed Eduard Kokoity.

The Chairman of the government Vadim Brovtsev held a working meeting with heads of district administrations. The meeting’s discussion focused on the absence of irrigation water supply to Znaur and Tskhinval districts of South Ossetia. The head of Znaur district Zaur Tskhovrebov stressed that “there are risks that the harvest will be lost, since irrigation water is not supplied to the villages located farther than the village of Velit, Znaur district”.

The Ministry of Culture of South Ossetia is to hold events devoted to the second anniversary of the Georgian aggression of August 2008. As reported by Deputy Minister of Culture Julietta Djeranova, several photography exhibitions would be open in Tskhinval to focus on the war in August 2008. “A photo exhibition will be held in front of the government building, as well as at the Culture House Sofprof in Tskhinval”, said Djeranova. Documentary films about the August aggression will be also shown.”

The Delegation of South Ossetia is leaving for a new round of Geneva Discussions on security and stability in South Caucasus. The head of the delegation, the Plenipotentiary for Post-Conflict Settlement Boris Chochiev stated to the IA RES that South Ossetia would again raise in Geneva the issue on elaboration of non-use of force paper. “We will discuss the possibility of signing an interim document that would guarantee non-use of force against South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Armed persons, who had penetrated from the Georgian territory, abducted a citizen of South Ossetia and took him to Georgia. "On 27 July 2010 at 5:40 the RSO Interior Ministry received a phone call to report on the abduction of Mikhail Kulumbegov, 1965, from his home in the village of Gvirgvina, Znaur district of South Ossetia", reported the Interior Ministry Duty Service.

Today, on 23 July, is the 104th anniversary of the first Ossetian newspaper "Iron gazet". The Chairman of the State Committee for information, communication and media of the Republic of South Ossetia told journalists about the problems and perspectives of the work in this sector.

- 23 July is annually celebrated as the Day of Media in our Republic. Taking into account the recent tragedy killing our compatriots, we decided to postpone the event for a later date. I am running dew steps forward to say that we will be celebrating our media holiday wider and wider every year. Because, the contribution of journalists into the development of our Republic is immense, and so far, this input has not found due appreciation. This year, due to the reasons I have mentioned, we decided to limit the events only to the official part, that is to awarding of media representatives with state awards.

On 18 July 2010, the delegation of the Republic of South Ossetia headed by the President of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity arrived in Managua to participate in the celebrations devoted to the 31st anniversary of the Revolution. The invitation from the President of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega to the President of South Ossetia was received after the visit of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nicaragua Samuel Santos to South Ossetia in June.

On 21 July 201, the South Ossetian Delegation headed by the President of the Republic of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity arrived in Caracas, the capital city of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. In the Simon Bolivar International Airport the high official was met with guard of honor, and the orchestra played the state anthem of the Republic of South Ossetia.