South Ossetia had ended. The war displaced 192,000 people, and while many were able to return to their homes after the war, a year later around 30,000 ethnic Georgians remained displaced. In an interview published in "Kommersant", South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity said he would not allow Georgians to return. President of France Nicolas Sarkozy negotiated a ceasefire agreement on 12 August 2008. On 17 August, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev announced that Russian forces would begin to pull out of Georgia the following day. Russia recognised Abkhazia and South Ossetia as separate republics on 26 August. In response to Russia's recognition, the
Independence Day (South Ossetia) Council of People's Deputies of the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast adopted a declaration of sovereignty of the new republic. In 1992 proclaimed South Ossetia proclaimed independence. In August 2008, South Ossetia was recognized by Russia, Venezuela, Nauru, and Nicaragua, other unrecognized counties such as Artsakh, Abkhazia and Transnistria following the week long Russo-Georgian War of 2008. An annual military parade is held on Theatre Square as the main holiday event. The parade involves the ceremonial review of the troops of the Tskhinvali Garrison by the Minister of Defense, a speech by the President of South Ossetia, the playing of the