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,
Abkhazia–Russia relations Abkhazia–Russia relations Abkhazia–Russia relations () is the bilateral relationship between the Republic of Abkhazia and the Russian Federation. Russia recognised Abkhazia on 26 August 2008, following the August 2008 South Ossetia war. Abkhazia and Russia established diplomatic relations on 9 September 2008. On 21 August 2008, the same day as a similar event in South Ossetia, a rally was held in Sukhum at which an estimated 47,00050,000 people appealed to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and the Russian Federal Assembly for official recognition of their independence as a sovereign state. On 25 August 2008 President of Abkhazia Sergei Bagapsh made a