August 2008 was extremely rich in military and political events. It became a turning point in the further state structure of Transcaucasia.
The practice of international relations allowed two new independent recognized states to appear on the world map - South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The leadership of Russia, in making its decision to recognize their independence, was guided by the will of the peoples, as well as by generally accepted norms of international and humanitarian law.
On August 7, in violation of the Sochi Agreement of June 24, 1992, the Moscow Memorandum of 1996 and the entire set of agreements signed under the JCC, Georgia launched a full-scale military aggression against the Republic of South Ossetia and the Russian Federation.
It is no secret that aggression against the Republic of Abkhazia was also planned. President of Georgia was prepareing his aggression openly. Everyone in the world knew that Tbilisi was preparing for war. President Saakashvili and many other high-ranking officials of the Georgian leadership have repeatedly spoken about the imminent return of the lost territories. The military budget of Georgia from 2003 to 2007 increased 30 times. The Georgian military was trained by NATO instructors, the army was receiving Western weapons. But the international community tried not to notice these actions.
Georgia's aggression was committed with the use of infantry, artillery (including the active use of Grad multiple launch rocket systems) and aviation. It entailed a new round of bloodshed and genocide of the Ossetian people, the barbaric extermination of the peaceful Ossetian population, Russian peacekeepers, state, public and private residential buildings and economic structures, including those of historical and architectural value, and significant material values.
From August 8 to 12, in response to military aggression, the Russian Federation was forced to conduct a military operation to force Georgia to peace.
On August 12, the territory of the Republic of South Ossetia was completely liberated from the Georgian invaders.
On the same day, the "Medvedev-Sarkozy Plan" was adopted in Moscow, signed in the Kremlin on August 14 by presidents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, on August 15 - by President of Georgia, and on August 16 - by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
People of South Ossetia believed that this day would be followed by a major event that would lead to August 26 - the recognition of our Republic by the Russian Federation, Victory Day in the Patriotic War of 1989-2008.
Every day of the five-day war in August 2008 is important and should be described in detail in the recent history of Ossetia. The entire period from 1989 to 2008 will always be remembered by every Ossetian as the years of Georgia's war against South Ossetia. A person lives by memory, and everything that happened to us, we must remember and convey to each subsequent generation so that the memory does not disappear, as it practically disappeared about the 1920 genocide.
We remember the resilience of soldiers and officers of the Armed Forces and other law enforcement agencies of South Ossetia, militia fighters, Russian peacekeepers and regular army soldiers who came to their aid, who defended the Hero City of Tskhinval and liberated the entire territory of South Ossetia from the Georgian fascists.
Eternal gratitude to the leaders of Russia and every Russian who helped us!
