Commemorative events dedicated to the 34th anniversary of the deployment of the Joint Peacekeeping Force (JPKF) were held in Tskhinval.
The central event was a flower-laying ceremony at a stele commemorating the heroism of Russian and South Ossetian servicemen.
The commemorative event was attended by the Republic's leadership, led by First Deputy Prime Minister Dzambolat Tadtayev, representatives of the Russian Embassy, and representatives of the Republic's ministries and departments.
Earlier, a memorial service for the fallen peacekeepers was held at the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
On July 14, 1992, based on the Agreement on the Principles of the Settlement of the Georgian-Ossetian Conflict, signed in Sochi on June 24, 1992 by the leaders of Russia, Georgia, South Ossetia, and North Ossetia, the Joint Peacekeeping Forces (JPKF) were deployed in the Republic, stopping the Georgian aggression that began in November 1989.
The JPKF, which became the guarantor of peace and tranquility in the region for many years, included three motorized rifle battalions from Russia, Georgia, and Ossetia.
The peacekeeping operation in South Ossetia, recognized as unique, continued until August 2008, when the Georgian authorities, led by Mikheil Saakashvili (the then President of Georgia), attempted to seize South Ossetia in violation of the Dagomys Agreement. Russian peacekeepers were among the first to bear the brunt of the Georgian invasion of South Ossetia, suffering losses in personnel and equipment.
In response, the Russian Federation launched a peace enforcement operation against Georgia, subsequently recognizing South Ossetia's independence.
Following the recognition of the Republic of South Ossetia and the deployment of the Russian military base in the Republic in accordance with the relevant interstate agreements, the JPKF mission was officially terminated.
The work of Russian peacekeepers to ensure security in South Ossetia is continued by servicemen from the 4th Military Base of the Russian of the Defense Ministry and the Border Guard Directorate of the Russian Federal Security Service.
