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South Ossetia

South Ossetia is a breakaway republic in the Caucasus. It declared independence from Georgia in 1991, but has received only limited international recognition.

South Ossetia is a mountainous territory situated between Georgia and Russia. After several conflicts with the Georgian government, it gained limited international recognition when Ossetian and Russian forces took de-facto control of the area in the wake of the 2008 Russo-Georgian War. This page collates all of DW's content on South Ossetia.

20.08.2008 A Russian tank passes by a huge portrait of Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin as it passes through Tskhinvali, South Ossetia, Georgia 20 August 2008 as part of a convoy. Russia has rejected a draft UN Security Council resolution on Georgia, saying it contradicted the terms of last week's ceasefire deal. The draft text called on Russia to pull back its forces to the positions held before the current conflict. But Russia says the truce allows its troops to stay in a buffer zone on the Georgia side of South Ossetia's border EPA/MAXIM SHIPENKOV +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++

Russia, Ukraine panned by European Human Rights Court over 2008, 2014 abuses 21.01.2021

The European Court of Human Rights has found that Russia committed abuses in areas seized from Georgia in 2008. It also ruled that the Ukrainian state was responsible for the death of a protester during 2014 protests.
Nemtsova Interview mit die Präsidentschaftskandidatin Salome Surabischwili. Drehort: Tiflis, Georgien Schlagwörter: Nemtsova Interview, Tiflis Georgien, Salome Surabischwili 

Georgian presidential front-runner aims at multilateralism to thaw frozen conflicts 31.10.2018

Born in exile, the career diplomat Salome Zurabishvili faces a runoff vote after a narrow lead in the first round. In an interview with DW, she stressed the importance of democracy and multipartyism in her country.
02.08.2018 Venera Egisherashvili sits by her home in the Georgian village of Ditsi

Georgia's frozen conflict takes psychological toll 07.08.2018

Ten years after the war between Russia and Georgia, villagers near the breakaway region of South Ossetia still live under the strain of the conflict, dealing with border issues and Russian patrols. Emily Sherwin reports.
5603091 01.08.2018 Georgian military personnel at the opening of Noble Partner 2018 multinational military exercise under the NATO auspices, Georgia. Denis Aslanov / Sputnik Foto: Denis Aslanov/Sputnik/dpa |

Georgia slams Russia 'occupation' ahead of NATO war games 01.08.2018

Thousands of soldiers from Georgia are set for two weeks of joint maneuvers with troops from the US, Germany and other NATO countries. Georgia's president has criticized the presence of Russian troops in South Ossetia.
10.03.2017 SUKHUMI, ABKHAZIA - MARCH 10, 2017: A view of the former Abkhazian government building damaged in the 1992-93 War in Abkhazia. Valery Sharifulin/TASS |

Syria recognizes Georgia's breakaway regions in nod to Russia 30.05.2018

The Georgian government has hit back at Syria by severing diplomatic ties with the Arab republic. Syria is now one of five countries that have recognized the Moscow-backed regions.
ITAR-TASS: TBILISI, GEORGIA. OCTOBER 27, 2013. Presidential candidate of the Georgian Dream coalition, Giorgi Margvelashvili with his daughter Anna voting at a polling station during Georgian presidential election. (Photo ITAR-TASS/ Zurab Dzhavakhadze)

Georgia's president: 'Cooperating with West doesn't mean attacking Russia's interests' 02.11.2017

Georgia has accused Russia of having occupied 20 percent of its territory. In an interview with DW's Zhanna Nemtsova, Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili talked about relations between the two countries.
Pope Francis and Georgia's Orthodox Patriarch Ilia II (C) attend a meeting in Tbilisi, Georgia, September 30, 2016. REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili

Pope makes subtle dig at Russia on arrival in ex-Soviet Georgia 30.09.2016

Pope Francis has begun a visit to Georgia by calling for coexistence between all peoples and states in the region. His words were clearly aimed at Moscow, which has backed the breakaway of two Georgian regions.
24.11.2014 SOCHI, RUSSIA. NOVEMBER 24, 2014. Abkhazian president Raul Khajimba looks on during a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin (not pictured), at Bocharov Ruchei residence. Mikhail Metzel/TASS Copyright: picture-alliance/dpa/TASS/M. Mikhail

Abkhazia leader calls for calm after riots 06.07.2016

Anti-government forces have put Abkhazia on the brink of "chaos and degradation," said the president of the disputed Georgian region, Raul Khajimba. Earlier, protesters tried to storm the Interior Ministry building.
18.03.2015 * Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with President of the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia Leonid Tibilov during a signing ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow, March 18, 2015. Russia signed a treaty with Georgia's breakaway South Ossetia region on Wednesday which Tbilisi condemned as a move aimed at annexation and the West says could threaten regional stability and security. REUTERS/Maxim Shipenkov/Pool (RUSSIA - Tags: POLITICS)

On Crimea anniversary, Russia signs South Ossetia deal 18.03.2015

Vladimir Putin has signed a treaty with a Georgian breakaway region. Critics say the move paves the way for Russia to annex South Ossetia.
Georgia's former president Mikheil Saakashvili addresses his supporters via live broadcast during an opposition rally to protest against Russia's policy towards Georgia and Ukraine in Tbilisi, November 15, 2014. REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili (GEORGIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST)

Georgians demonstrate against Russia - and own government 15.11.2014

Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Tbilisi to protest against Russia's support of separatists in two Georgian regions. Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke away from Tbilisi in civil wars in the early 1990s.
ITAR-TASS: SEVASTOPOL, CRIMEA, UKRAINE. MARCH 5, 2014. Ukrainian servicemen are in the grounds of the Pokryshkin airbase at Belbek in Sevastopol, Crimea. (Photo ITAR-TASS / Stanislav Krasilnikov)

Caucasus history almost repeats itself in Crimea 08.03.2014

Crimea has drawn frequent comparison with South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Even though the parallels between the two are far from simple, decision-makers could still learn from looking at Russia's behavior in Georgia.
Barroso verabschiedet den scheidenden Präsidenten Georgiens M.Saakaschwili in Brüssel. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso welcomes outgoing Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili (L) ahead of a meeting at the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels October 29, 2013. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir (BELGIUM - Tags: POLITICS)

EU warns Georgia against 'selective justice' as Saakashvili bows out 29.10.2013

The EU has cautioned Georgia against applying selective justice during a visit to Brussels by President Mikheil Saakashvili. Speculation has arisen that Tbilisi may bring charges against the leader when he leaves office.
Bildtitel: Das Bild von Stalin in Museum von der sowjetischen Besetzung, Tbilisi, Georgien Schlagworte: Georgien, Stalin, Umfrage lle Bilder hat unsere Korrespondentin in Georgien Amalia Oganjanyan für die Veröffentlichung bei der Deutsche Welle gemacht. Thema: Umfrage: Was denken Menschen in Georgien an Stalin?

Georgia's struggle with the Stalin myth 08.08.2013

Georgians' attitude to Joseph Stalin is consistently contradictory. The row over the huge monument in his hometown of Gori, occupied by the Russians in 2008, has become an illustration of the national schizophrenia.
1277929 Georgia, Tbilisi. 11/01/2012 Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili attending a press conference on the appointment of political analyst Zurab Abashidze as the prime minister's special representative for Russian affairs. Alexander Imedashvili/RIA Novosti

Georgian Prime Minister: 'It is all about restoring justice' 02.07.2013

Georgian Prime Minister Bidsina Ivanishvili rejects allegations of political persecution. Before the country's presidential election, he speaks to DW about his retirement from politics, relations with Russia and NATO.
1087545 Respublika South Ossetia, Tskhinvali. 04/08/2012 South Ossetian presidential candidate Leonid Tibilov gets in his car by a polling station. Mihail Mokrushin/RIA Novosti

South Ossetia elects former KGB chief 09.04.2012

The breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia has held a presidential run-off election, picking a former KGB chief who is supported by Russia. The election was rejected by Georgia as illegitimate.
Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev looks on while attending a meeting on the development of the agrarian and industrial sector in the town of Svetly in the Russia's western exclave of Kaliningrad sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland, on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2007. Founded in 1255 by the Teutonic Order of knights, the city was called Koenigsburg and was capital of Germany's East Prussia until Soviet troops took it over in 1945. Soviet dictator Josef Stalin expelled ethnic Germans from the area and renamed the city in honor of a prominent Bolshevik, Mikhail Kalinin. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Dmitry Astakhov, Pool)

Medvedev's push for control of Russian military unsettles Caucasus 11.12.2009

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has announced that he has requested the right to send troops into other countries in cases of emergency without consulting parliament. The proposed plan is causing regional concern.
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