MOSCOW, February18. /TASS/. South Ossetia intends to maintain relations with the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, the country's foreign minister said on Wednesday.

"We had to survive a few wars and we understand what hardships Donbas people are facing," David Sanakoyev said at a TASS news conference.

"We will keep monitoring the situation [in south-east Ukraine] and maintaining our relations wherever possible," the minister said adding that South Ossetia had collected humanitarian aid for the Donetsk and Luhansk republics.

Sanakoyev also said that Donbas people should decide their own future.