Independence Day (South Ossetia) Independence Day (South Ossetia) The Independence Day of South Ossetia (Russian:День независимости Южной Осетии) is the main state holiday in the partially recognized Republic of South Ossetia. This date is celebrated on September 20. It commemorates South Ossetia's declaration of independence from the Georgian SSR in 1990, and the country's recognition as a sovereign state by Russia in 2008. South Ossetia first declared its independence from Georgia in 1920 following the Russian Revolution in Russia. After the Soviet Army invaded Georgia in 1921, the government declared South Ossetia an autonomous region within the Georgian SSR. On September 20, 1990, the
Russia–South Ossetia relations travelled to South Ossetia on 21 July 2009, where they attended the opening of two rural police stations, and attended the signing of an interagency agreement between the two countries prosecutorial agencies. On 7 August 2009, Dmitry Medvedev in an interview for the documentary "In August 2008..." stated that Russia would continue to develop bilateral ties with South Ossetia "regardless of whether somebody likes it or not." The Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance which was signed in September 2008 came into force on 20 January 2009, and stipulates a Russian guarantee of military intervention in case South Ossetia