1991–1992 South Ossetia War allied with the Russian Bolsheviks, fighting a war against the newly independent Menshevik Georgia. Initially Georgia was successful, but in 1921, the Red Army conquered the country. South Ossetia became an autonomous oblast in the Soviet republic of Georgia. During the Soviet period, relations between ethnic Ossetians and Georgians were peaceful, with a high rate of interaction and intermarriages. In 1989, around 98,000 people lived in South Ossetia. Of these, 66.61% were Ossetian and 29.44% Georgian. Another 99,000 Ossetians lived throughout the rest of Georgia. At the end of 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgia became an
Armed Forces of South Ossetia Army (SOA). Training within the SOA is conducted by both experienced South Ossetic troops and members of the Russian VDV. In August 2009 the SOA and Russia reorganized the 4 Air Mobile Brigade, as a joint forces brigade, which would have an active Russian military base in South Ossetia. The Russian Airborne Troops are reported to have established an active military base outside of Java, South Ossetia and are reported to have trained SOA recruits since the summer of 2009. All uniforms are donated by the Russian Ground Forces, the tri-coloured "Flora" pattern is standard issue throughout the SOA. But