A memorial service was held in South Ossetia for the residents of the republic who died in 2008

A memorial service was held in South Ossetia for the residents of the republic who died in 2008 as a result of Georgian aggression. The footage is published by Izvestia on August 8.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of South Ossetia to the Russian Federation Znaur Gassiev noted the importance of this date and stressed that it is necessary to remember the past, and the memory of those who laid down their lives for the Russian and Ossetian peoples 18 years ago must live on. The diplomat recalled that on the night of August 7-8, 2008, Georgia unleashed thousands of rocket fire shells on the sleeping Tskhinvali.

"People were burning in their beds. After that, in the early morning, the punishers entered the city and began to exterminate the civilian population. They were met by Ossetian militiamen and Russian peacekeepers, who held them for two days. Then the Russian army came in and forced the aggressor to make peace." Gassiev said.

According to him, this was Russia's first serious blow to the table when it said that it was no longer possible to retreat, and the Russian world would only expand further.

"This is our Reconquista, and to forget this is to lose our past," the ambassador added.

Gassiev stressed that the memory of those events is important for both the people of Russia and the people of South Ossetia, and also called the republic a "common bond" that is important to protect.

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On the same day, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that the Russian Federation was counting on the early start of practical work on the elaboration and signing of an agreement on the non-use of force between Tbilisi, Sukhum and Tskhinvali. The ministry recalled that in August 2008, Russia conducted an operation to "force Georgia to peace." Subsequently, Moscow recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states and, as noted in the statement, continued to provide them with assistance in matters of security and socio-economic development.