About the most important milestone in the history of the Republic of South Ossetia — the State of Alania — on August 26, 2008 — the newspaper "Republic. On this day, the Russian Federation recognized the statehood of the Republic of South Ossetia. This decision of the Russian leadership was based on the provisions of the UN Charter, the Declaration of Principles of International Law of 1970, the OSCE Helsinki Act of 1975 and other key international documents. The Republic gained international legal personality, after which Russia received legal grounds for providing official comprehensive support to South Ossetia, including military and economic assistance.
The first step towards the demarcation of South Ossetia with Georgia, where nationalist and revanchist sentiments were gaining strength at that time, was the proclamation of the republic on September 20, 1990. The new national-territorial entity acquired the status of an independent state on May 29, 1992 by the decision of the deputies of the Supreme Council of the RSO. Years later, this status was recognized by the Russian Federation on August 26, 2008 by decree of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev.
After the completion of the military phase of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, South Ossetia and Abkhazia turned to Russia with a request to recognize their independence from Georgia. Both chambers of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on August 25, 2008 adopted an appeal to the President of the Russian Federation Medvedev with a proposal to recognize the independence of the young states. On August 26, 2008, Dmitry Medvedev, taking into account the free expression of the will of the Ossetian and Abkhaz peoples, guided by the provisions of the UN Charter, the 1970 Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations between States, the OSCE Helsinki Final Act of 1975, and other fundamental international documents, signed decrees recognizing the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia by the Russian Federation.
"I was guided, first of all, to preserve lasting peace for the future, to preserve stability in Transcaucasia, to preserve stability in our region. And this, in my opinion, was the only possible step. After some time, I had a conversation with Prime Minister Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. He also supported me in this," Medvedev recalled.
Moscow's decision confirmed the right of the people of South Ossetia to self-determination, given the long history of conflict with Georgia, ethnic cleansing and the desire for independence expressed in referendums.
After Russia's recognition, its example was followed by other UN member states: Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru and Syria.
Some states, under pressure from the West, do not recognize the independence of South Ossetia, adhering to the principle of territorial integrity and inviolability of borders. At the same time, without showing such a principled attitude towards the Western project "Republic of Kosovo".
However, international recognition is not determined only by the number of countries, and Russian President Putin drew attention to this.
"As for the recognition by a large number of countries — from an international legal point of view, the international legal personality of South Ossetia and Abkhazia comes from the moment their independence is recognized by at least one participant in international communication. And recognition from Russia is enough," Putin said in an interview in connection with the first anniversary of Russia's recognition of the RSO (2009).
The confirmation by the Russian Federation of the sovereignty of South Ossetia in August 2008 was a turning point in bilateral relations. This step, taken after the armed conflict between Georgia and South Ossetia, radically changed the geopolitical situation in the region and had a significant impact on the interaction between Russia and the world community.
For Russia itself, August 2008 It became an important stage in the formation of statehood, then it became finally clear that the old rules of the game that suited the West no longer work. A world dominated by one superpower, a world in which international law was interpreted and applied selectively, a world in which Russia's interests were ignored, ceased to exist.
And here it is impossible not to agree with the opinion of Russian political scientist Mikhail Chernov, expressed in an interview with Sputnik South Ossetia news agency. He noted that the new Russia began in August 2008, although many analysts and observers did not believe that Moscow would take a forceful decision on the issue of protecting Ossetia.
"But it happened, and it really became a turning point. Then, in these days of August, Russia for the first time showed its readiness to act, to act toughly, to defend the interests of the state, the interests of its people, the interests of its citizens who lived in South Ossetia at that time, the interests of its people, because the Ossetian people are the Russian people," Chernov stressed.
In the context of bilateral relations between the Russian Federation and South Ossetia, the recognition of independence created the basis for the development of full-fledged interstate relations. Diplomatic relations were established, agreements on cooperation in various fields, including economy, security and humanitarian, were signed. Russia provides financial and economic assistance to South Ossetia aimed at restoring infrastructure and socio-economic development of the region.
For South Ossetia, the Russian Federation's confirmation of its sovereignty has become an important factor in its survival and development. Thanks to Russian support, the republic was able to improve economic life and ensure social protection of the population.
At the same time, Russia's recognition of South Ossetia's independence did not solve all the country's problems. The underdevelopment of the industrial and agricultural sectors, economic dependence on Russia and the continuing tension in relations with Georgia remain serious challenges for the future of South Ossetia. Nevertheless, for the residents of the republic, the recognition of independence is a symbol of hope for a peaceful and stable life.