Russia–South Ossetia relations Russia–South Ossetia relations Russia—South Ossetia relations () refers to the bilateral relationship between Russia and the Georgian breakaway Tskhinvali Region (Former autonomous district of South Ossetia), a disputed region in the South Caucasus, located on the territory of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within the former Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic. South Ossetia declared its independence from Georgia in 1991 during the Georgian–Ossetian conflict, but the entity remained unrecognised, save by fellow break-away republics Abkhazia and Transnistria. In the aftermath of the conflict Russia extended citizenship to many of South Ossetia's citizens. Following several months of increased tensions in the region,
Russia–South Ossetia relations the first Russian Ambassador to South Ossetia, Elbrus Kargiyev, who presented his Letters of Credence to South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity on 16 December 2008. Dmitry Medoyev, the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Republic of South Ossetia to Russia was appointed by Eduard Kokoity as South Ossetia's first ambassador to Russia on 13 January 2009. Medoyev presented his credentials to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on 16 January 2009. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin issued a directive to set up a Russian embassy in South Ossetia in 2009. Eduard Kokoity said during talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that it