A scientific and practical conference on the topic “The Ukrainian crisis: origins, development trends, geopolitical context” was held at the South Ossetian State University on Monday.
The conference was attended by Chairman of the Parliament Alan Alborov, Russian Ambassador to the Republic Marat Kulakhmetov, Chief Advisor to the Second Department of the CIS Countries of the Russian Foreign Ministry Eduard Vertyanov, heads of ministries of South Ossetia, etc.
At the beginning of the event, rector of the South Ossetian State University expressed gratitude to the guests of the event for their attention.
"The topic of our event is relevant, it is important for all of us, since citizens of South Ossetia are also taking part in the special military operation," the rector said. "I would like our victory to end sooner."
Then State Adviser to the President Konstantin Kochiev read out the welcome address of President of the Republic Alan Gagloev to the participants of the event.
“In South Ossetia it is paid the most serious attention to the work of the expert community and respect the opinions of researchers. The assessments of the scientific and expert community are all the more significant for us when it comes to the issues that are directly related to the security situation in the global context and in relation to our Republic,” Gagloev has noted in his address to the conference participants.
According to the President, for South Ossetia the lands of Donbass and Zaporozhye are by no means abstract territories on the map.
“We were observing with alarm the escalation of tensions and large-scale military actions launched by Kiev against the people’s republics of Donbass. South Ossetia could not remain indifferent, the head of state has emphasized. - Enterprises, organizations, residents of the Republic collected and sent dozens of humanitarian convoys. Fulfilling their allied duty, volunteer units entered into battle for peace on the land of Donbass. Ossetian warriors, being on the front line, show perseverance, courage and heroism. These are both volunteers and military personnel. Unfortunately, there are dead and wounded. The Republic’s leadership sees its task as making it as easy as possible for them to fulfill their responsible mission.”
Gagloev expressed confidence that together with its strategic ally, Russian Federation, the Republic will be able to overcome all the existing difficulties and successfully emerge from the period of global turbulence.
Marat Kulakhmetov has noted that the roots of internal nationalism occurred in Georgia after the collapse of the USSR are akin to Ukrainian nationalism.
“If you compare the solution to many issues in Kyiv and Tbilisi, there are many similarities, including the solution of problems by force. This confirms that the puppeteers are the same. We are convinced of this once again,” Kulakhmetov said.
During the event, presentations were made by prominent Russian experts on Ukrainian issues - Doctor of Philosophy, Director of the ANO Center for Public and Information Cooperation "Europe" Eduard Popov and Director of the Institute of Socio-Political Research and Regional Development, Ph.D. Igor Shornikov, as well as the chief adviser of the second department of the CIS countries of the Russian Foreign Ministry Eduard Vertyanov.
Vertyanov spoke about the genesis of the crisis around Ukraine and its prerequisites.
“The prerequisites for the modern Ukrainian crisis formed much earlier than 2014. – Since the collapse of the USSR, the collective West has not hidden its interest in drawing Ukraine into its orbit of influence. This would allow it to carry out full-fledged economic and military expansion over the vast territory of the young post-Soviet republic with fertile lands and many natural resources,” Vertyanov said.
He has emphasized that since the beginning of the 2000s, the West has increasingly begun to use Ukraine as a tool for confrontation with Russia.
“In 2003-2004, with the direct support of the Western countries, the so-called Orange Revolution was organized in Kyiv, as a result of which President Viktor Yushchenko, oriented towards rapprochement with the EU and the USA, came to power. During his presidency, a gradual process of breaking the then existing economic, political and cultural ties with Russia began,” Vertyanov has noted.
During the conference, Eduard Popov has noted that in 2014, while providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Donbass, he saw a stream of volunteers coming in a continuous wave from North and South Ossetia.
"A friend is known in trouble. Both the events of 2014 and 2022, which unfortunately continue to this day, show who our friend is. Victory, of course, will be ours. This will be a common victory, it will be a victory for South Ossetia,” Popov said.
He noted with regret that not a single victory is not without victims.
“I offer my deepest condolences to the loved ones of the fallen warriors from South Ossetia, and I wish the fighting fighters to return with victory, safe and sound,” he has emphasized.
During the event, State Advisor to President of South Ossetia Vyacheslav Gobozov, South Ossetian State University teachers Robert Kulumbegov, Karina Tskhovrebova and Soslan Pliev made presentations.
The event was organized by the South Ossetian State University and the Russian Embassy in South Ossetia.
