South Ossetia

Shortly after the Soviet Red Army conquered independent Democratic Republic of Georgia in 1921, South Ossetia was created as an autonomous region within the Georgian SSR of the Soviet Union. The boundary drawn in the 1920s caused many (ethnic) Georgian communities and lands to be included in the autonomous region, the consequences of which can still be witnessed today. In the late 1980s and early 1990s the Soviet Union was undermined by strong nationalist feelings among its various peoples, and the South Ossetians moved to secession from Georgia, opting a merger with their North Ossetian neighbors in Russia. The Georgian government overruled this by abolishing the autonomy in late 1990 which led to the 1991–1992 civil war between South Ossetian separatists and the Georgian national government. A Russian-brokered ceasefire in 1992 resulted in Russian peacekeeping deployment in the region under the Joint Control Commission (JCC).

After the civil war, South Ossetia was effectively independent; the Georgian government had little control over the highly autonomous region, which was ethnically cleansed of its Georgian population. Georgia's Rose Revolution of 2003 established a government keen to regain the lost control over Ajara, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, a region which had a similar separatist post-Soviet history.

Georgia's handling of the situation derailed in 2008 when Georgia shelled South Ossetia's capital Tskhinvali to assert its authority through a military campaign after a period of Russian-backed Ossetian provocations. This backfired when the Russian army entered the region through the Roki Tunnel and overran much of Georgia proper. A "6-point ceasefire agreement" was brokered by the EU between the Russians and Georgians. Eventually the Russian forces withdrew to the boundaries of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, leaving them well beyond Georgian control. Meanwhile both regions were quickly recognized by Russia as independent countries, citing the Western-pushed Kosovo independence earlier that year as a precedent.

In effect this enabled Russia to legitimize its continued military presence, circumventing the ceasefire agreement which stipulated that Russia should withdraw its forces from Georgia to pre-conflict positions: Russia does not recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia as part of Georgia anymore and thus renders repeated international calls for compliance with the ceasefire agreement void. Since 2009 Russia has constructed a dozen military bases along the boundary line monitoring the boundary zone and enforcing a so called "international border" upon the local community, frequently arresting and detaining "violators".

The de facto South Ossetian government has since tried to merge the region with Russia, but so far this hasn't happened despite far reaching integration agreements signed with the Kremlin, just short of formal annexation.

While the separatist conflict between the de facto Ossetian authorities and the Georgian central government has cooled to a much lower level than during the 2008 war and despite a heavy Russian military presence, security and government control are both weak. The Ossetians are largely grateful for Russia's military intervention against Georgia. Many Ossetes from North Ossetia crossed the border to join militias fighting against the Georgian military during the war.

However, it is mostly the remaining Georgian community of several thousand that bear the brunt of the aftermath of the war: increased boundary enforcement as "international border" by Russian and Ossetian troops means freedom of movement principles for local civilians are restricted. Local communities on both sides of the boundary have been separated, risking arrest and detention when trying to visit their farmland or relatives. Since 2013 fences and barbed wires have been constructed, sometimes right through villages.

According to the last Soviet census in 1989, the region had a population of 98,527 of which 65,233 (66%) Ossetian and 28,544 (29%) Georgian. According to unofficial estimates the population declined to roughly 70,000 by 2007 (~45,000 Ossetians and ~17,500 Georgians respectively). As result of the 2008 war and subsequent restrictive policies by the de facto South Ossetian authorities, the Georgian community in the region has been decimated by 2015 to 7% (or 3,966 - down from 4,600 or 9% in 2012) on a total population of 53,532. Most remaining Georgians in the region live in Leningor (Akhalgori) district, others live scattered in villages along the southern section of the boundary line.

From Georgia head to Vladikavkaz in North Ossetia-Alania (Russia) via the Georgian Military Highway through Kazbegi. Buses between Tbilisi and Vladikavkaz take roughly seven hours.

From Russia, head to Vladikavkaz in North Ossetia-Alania (there are trains and planes from Moscow).

From there, go onward by a mountain road that passes through the Roki Tunnel. There are buses. You will be at the mercy of the Russian authorities, but they are willing to let some people in, including journalists. If they allow you in, simply drive into the tunnel from Russia. When you exit, you will be in South Ossetia. Consider engaging the services of a guide/tour operator, who will say the right things and pay the right people at the right times.

If travelling from Russia, the South Ossetian embassy (9 Kurcovoi Pereylok, ☏ +7 495 644-27-57) in Moscow should be able to arrange your documents. A South Ossetian Consular Agency in Vladikavkaz is at 43 Krasnodonskaya Ulitsa. Foreign access is restricted but not impossible. An invitation should be arranged according to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Ossetia: "foreign citizens arriving to the Republic of South Ossetia for tourism must address the Committee on youth policy, sports and tourism of the Republic of South Ossetia and ask to write an official invitation letter."

You must have at least double entry visa to Russia. There is no way out to the rest of Georgia: you have to re-enter Russia. Also, the Georgian Law on Occupied Territories applies to foreigners as well: this means that unwarranted visits to South Ossetia through the Russian border section are considered an illegal entry onto Georgian territory, as no Georgian immigration has been passed. Make sure your visit cannot be traced in your passport if you are going to Georgia afterwards.

Various companies run tours to the region. They offer a good advantage of sorting out all your paperwork and permits for you.

Kavkaz Explorers - offers week long itineraries. In the summer you can be driven around the main sites. In the winter you can trek across the mountain snow to remote hill stations. From US$700 per person per week (does not include transport to Vladikavkaz in Russia).

Abchasien Reisen - Abkhazia specialists that also run week long trips to South Ossetia. From €1,390 per person per week (includes flights from Europe to Vladikavkaz).

MarkoPoLo - Abkhazia, Nagorno Karabakh, Transnistria, Somaliland unrecognized country tour operator provides 3-7 day tours in each destination as well as custom tours

The Russian ruble is the commonly used currency in South Ossetia.