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Situation around South Ossetia was ‘trial balloon’ on isolating Russia, Medvedev says

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman pointed out that Moscow "dealt with it rather quickly"

MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. The 2008 conflict between Georgia and South Ossetia was the West’s test run of a model of Russia’s isolation, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview with TASS and RT.

"It is obvious that these are the links of the same chain, there is no doubt. The situation around South Ossetia was a trial balloon, back then, they essentially tried to create a model that would directly impact the situation near Russia’s border, isolate us in a sense, create a Russophobic enclave, that was a test run. A failed one," he stressed.

Medvedev pointed out that Moscow "dealt with it rather quickly" and demonstrated that the truth was on its side.

On August 26, South Ossetia is marking the 15th anniversary of Russia recognizing its independence. On August 8, 2008, Georgia mounted an overnight armed attack against South Ossetia. Russia intervened to protect civilians, many of whom had obtained Russian citizenship, and its peacekeeping contingent, which had been stationed in the region since 1992. In a five-day armed conflict, more than one thousand people, including 72 Russian peacekeepers, lost their lives. On August 26, 2008, Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another former autonomous region of Georgia.

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