MOSCOW, July 14. /TASS/. Russia’s first peacekeeping effort, which started on July 14, 1992 in South Ossetia, was fast and protected the people of the republic from being decimated, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said.
"That first peacekeeping operation was done in high gear, very quickly," the minister said at an event dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the peacekeeping operation to settle the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. "This is a unique experience when a commission was created in a few days, which included representatives of all defense and security agencies. I mean the future Emergency Situations Ministry, which had the status of a state committee at the time, a deputy defense minister, a first deputy interior minister, the first deputy at the FSB. All this was put together."
Shoigu said as armed clashes went on at the time, talks were held with representatives of both conflicting sides and with the leaders of illegal armed groups who refused to obey the official authorities.
"I must admit it that it was difficult. But the result was worth it. Russia did not allow the people of South Ossetia to be decimated," the minister said.
He congratulated the attending participants of that operation, noting that "that was a big, important, necessary work for our country at that moment."
"At that time, I am absolutely sure, especially my generation, we were absolutely convinced that all this was temporary and our country would again be big and strong, and there would be the Soviet Union again, and no one would leave anywhere and everyone would live in peace and quiet," Shoigu said.
"I really want all these events to really become history and never happen again," he said.
The conflict in South Ossetia began on January 5, 1991. On July 14, 1992, a mixed peacekeeping force consisting of three battalions - Russian, Georgian and Ossetian ones - was introduced into the conflict zone. Shoigu was then co-chairman of the Joint Control Commission for the settlement of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict.