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
Foreign relations of South Ossetia August 26, 2008, Russia became the first UN member state to recognize South Ossetia. Russia plans on building an embassy in Tskhinval. On May 29, 2018, Syria became the latest UN member state to recognize South Ossetia. On July 22, 2018, during the state visit of President Anatoly Bibilov to Damascus, South Ossetia and Syria have signed an agreement on establishing diplomatic ties. South Ossetia and Turkey have no official relations. Although, the South Ossetian foreign minister attended a festival of Ossetian culture in Turkey in August 2018. Around 50,000 Ossetians live in Turkey. On September 10, 2009, Venezuela became