South Ossetia South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast. In the wake of the 2008 war, Georgia and a significant part of the international community consider South Ossetia to be occupied by the Russian military. South Ossetia relies heavily on military, political and financial aid from Russia. Russia does not allow the European Union Monitoring Mission to enter South Ossetia. South Ossetia, Transnistria, Artsakh, and Abkhazia are sometimes referred to as post-Soviet "frozen conflict" zones. The territory of contemporary South Ossetia was part of the kingdom of Iberia, the latter was unified under the single Georgian monarchy in 11th-century, extending its possessions up to Dvaleti.
Abkhazia–South Ossetia relations Ossetia's Parliament on 27 December and by Abkhazia's Parliament on 15 February 2006. On 20 September, Kokoity awarded Bagapsh with the Medal of Honour. Diplomatic relations between both countries were established on 26 September 2007. In recent years, the governments of Abkhazia and South Ossetia have been working closely together in search of more international recognition. The leaders of Abkhazia and South Ossetia have also signed a mutual defense pact, stating that in case either country is attacked, the other must become involved in the other's defense. During the 2008 South Ossetia war, Abkhazian soldiers and volunteers backed by Russian