TSKHINVAL, August 26. /TASS/. South Ossetia is holding festive events on Friday to mark the eighth anniversary since Russia recognized the independence of the republic that broke away from Georgia.
August 26 is one of the key holidays in South Ossetia and is an official day off.
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The delegations from the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, guests from Russia’s North Ossetia republic, representatives of the Russian presidential administration and Russian State Duma MPs have been invited to attend the events.
"We are obliged to remember what price we have paid for the victory," South Ossetian President Leonid Tibilov said. "Hundreds of the best sons and daughters of South Ossetia sacrificed their lives to have freedom and independence. We will always remember their names. We will remember and pay tribute to the Russian servicemen who died fighting for our freedom, independence and for all of us," he said.
In the small hours of August 8, 2008 Georgia launched an armed attack on South Ossetia. Russia defended the civilians and its peacekeepers who had been in the region since 1992. More than 1,000 people were killed during the conflict, including 72 Russian servicemen. On August 26, 2008 Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia and another breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia.
Post-war reconstruction
The important political decision taken by the Russian leadership gave South Ossetia an opportunity to receive significant support for the post-war reconstruction, Tibilov said.
"This allowed us to achieve great success in restoring our ruined economy and the country’s social sphere," he said. Over the past eight years, thousands of houses, schools, hospitals and sports facilities have been built in the republic, Tibilov said. Hundreds of kilometers of highways, utility lines and dozens of new bridges have been constructed. "Soon large-scale works to ensure gas supply for the entire republic will start," he added.
All conditions for the steady development of South Ossetia have been created, Tibilov stressed. "First of all, this is the guarantee of the republic’s state security, territorial integrity and inviolability of its borders, and the comprehensive assistance of our fraternal country Russia.".