South Ossetia is marking the 29th anniversary of the bringing the Joint Peacekeeping Forces into the Republic in the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. The festive events began on Wednesday morning with the laying of flowers at the Monument to the Defenders of the Fatherland on Tuganov Street.
The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Republic's leadership led by President of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov, Russian Ambassador to South Ossetia Marat Kulakhmetov, deputies of the Republic's Parliament, military personnel, former peacekeepers, and representatives of the public.
Flowers were laid at the Poklonnaya Cross at the walls of the destroyed building of the peacekeeping battalion on the southwestern outskirts of Tskhinval, at the monument to Hero of Russia Denis Vetchinov, who perished on August 9, 2008 during the battles for Tskhinval.
Then the leadership of the Republic and representatives of the public gathered at the stele of the peacekeepers at the intersection of V. Putin - Peacekeepers Streets to pay tribute to the memory of the peacekeeper's feat.
As the former peacekeeper Yaroslav Koshty told the IA "Res", July 14 is a significant day for the entire Ossetian people.
“The peacekeepers brought peace and tranquility to the territory of South Ossetia. Every year we remember our comrades in arms who did not live to see these days. We will always remember the feat of the peacemaker,” he said.
It should be reminded, that on July 14, 1992, on the basis of the agreement "On the principles of the settlement of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict" signed in Sochi on June 24, 1992 by the leaders of Russia, Georgia, South and North Ossetia, the Mixed Peacekeeping Forces (JPKF) were brought into the Republic and stopped the Georgian aggression that began in November 1989.
The JPKF, which for many years became the guarantors of peace and tranquility in the region, included three motorized rifle battalions from Russia, Georgia and Ossetia.
The peacekeeping operation in South Ossetia, recognized as unique, continued until August 2008, when the Georgian authorities, led by Mikhail Saakashvili (the then President of Georgia), in violation of the Dagomys agreements, attempted to seize South Ossetia. The Russian peacekeepers were among the first to take the blow of the Georgian troops that invaded South Ossetia, suffering losses.
In response, the Russian Federation carried out an operation to force Georgia to peace, then recognizing the independence of South Ossetia. After the recognition of the RSO and the deployment of the Russian military base in the Republic on the basis of relevant interstate agreements, the JPKF mission was officially terminated.
The work of the Russian peacekeepers to ensure the security of South Ossetia is continued by the servicemen of the 4th military base of the Russian Defense Ministry and the Border Guard Service of the FSB of the Russian Federation.
