Russian Imperialism and South Ossetia

The Soviet Union may have collapsed, but it’s largest successor still holds onto the expansionist and imperialistic ideas. The recent attack on South Ossetia left the region devastated with an estimated 1500 people dead and nearly 160,000 refugees. With a boosting economy, Russia has taken far greater importance now than ever before as an independent nation. Labeled a democracy, Russia shies away from the fundamental values it claims to be. The Russian army displays the paradigm of Russian aggression and hypocrisy. They marched into foreign territory in order that they might establish “peace” in the region…by attacking South Ossetia.

South Ossetia, an integral part of Georgia, is a former Soviet oblast that has suffered tensions from the very beginnings of its inclusion into Georgia. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ossetia split into North Ossetia and South Ossetia. South Ossetia became part of Georgia and North Ossetia went to Russia. This split led to conflict, which resulted in the death of several Ossetians and the fleeing of 100,000 people into North Ossetia. Since then, South Ossetians in Georgia have always wanted an independent nation and were even governed by a separatist government.

Albeit the given dilemma, large interaction has always existed between Georgians and Ossetians. Inter-marriage between the two is highly popular; this created a checkerboard population layout over the South Ossetia. Due to the interaction, South Ossetia was able to remain a part of Georgia. Apart from small periods of violence, the region was mostly stable and the fight for freedom peaceful. The desire for an independent nation; however, can’t be denied, as a 2006 referendum held by South Ossetia led to a 99% vote in for independence. The decision was however not recognized due to the lack of Georgian involvement.

Since then, the Georgia President, Mikheil Saakashvili has been trying to peacefully negotiate with South Ossetia. Educated in America, Saakashvili is an ally to the US and values democracy. He established a self-governing administration in South Ossetia, the Provisional Administrative Entity of South Ossetia. Dmitri Sanakoyev, a former member of the separatist party and an ethnic Ossetian, was picked as head of the administration. All the other members of the administration were ethnic Ossetians as well. The Georgian government later had tried to have talks with South Ossetia to develop its autonomous status.

The only objection the talks proposed was by the Ossetian secessionist leader, Eduard Kokoity. During the formation of the administrated, Kokoity said, “ Georgia’s actions towards South Ossetia make us believe that [the Georgian side] is not willing to deal with the situation in a peaceful manner. Georgia continues to escalate tensions, provoking the Ossetian side and ignoring the negotiating process.” He also went on to add that, “Only civilized dialogue is acceptable for the South Ossetian side; otherwise we will have to consider whether to participate or not in negotiations in the future… There is no one with whom we can hold talks to resolve this issue.”

A Russian Citizen and a wrestling champion of the former USSR, Kokoity clearly shows he has no interest in peaceful negotiations with Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, or any other nation for that matter. Talks between Tskhinvali and Tbilisi were put on hold because of him. No further progress was made, and all of it eventually led up to the recent war.

August 6, both sides claimed to have received firings. Shota Utiashvili, a Georgian interior ministry spokesman, accused the Ossetians of “trying to create an illusion of serious escalation, an illusion of war.” The Ossetians simply denied the accusation and instead blamed the Georgians for attacking and trying to eliminate the opposition militaristically. However, it is interesting to note that 5 Russian battalions were deployed near the Roki Tunnel, which connects South Ossetia to North Ossetia.

Due to the claimed firings and the deployment of Russian troops, on August 8th, Georgia attacked South Ossetia in order to remove the violence and restore order in South Ossetia. Russia took the attack as an excuse and deployed its troop into Ossetia. Putin even quoted the Georgian attack as an act of “genocide.” Most of the fighting was done near Tskhinvali and an estimate 1500 civilians were killed, with more than 160,000 fleeing their homes. Most countries pressured both countries for a cease-fire, which Georgia was ready to accept if Russia was to withdraw their military. That was achieved on August 22nd as the cease-fire was drawn and Russian attacks ceased, but their troops were stationed throughout Ossetia as observers.

The problem in this war is not due to a separatist mindset by the Ossetians or the Georgian reluctance but the Russian expansionism. The deployment of Russian troops near the Roki Tunnel just 2 days prior to the attack and random firings scattered throughout the region definitely hint at Russia’s involvement in masterminding this war. Also, by examining at the reluctance of Eduard Kokoity to negotiate and his alliance with the Russians, the clear player is Russia. Although Russia claimed this was only a peace operation, Russian soldiers not only intruded South Ossetia, but also they went into the heart of Georgia and captured regions such as Gori. They even led an assault on Abkhazia, another de facto state vying for freedom, where there was no violence at all and no need of any “peacekeeping enforcement.” The Russian navy took a number of ships off to the coast of Georgia and attacked the Georgian Navy.

Not only is Russia responsible for this unnecessary war but also guilty of hypocrisy. On CNN, a Russian spokesman had vowed that the Russian intervention was due to their belief that each region and their people have their rights. In this case, Ossetians have the right to be free. He promoted democracy and even prompted in having an election for independence. He stood firm that if a region was to be free, they have the right to be and Russia will assist in brining the Ossetians their wish. However, this is quite contrary to Russia’s action in Chechyna, a small Russian state in the Caucasus Mountains also wanting independent status. Two Chechens war were fought and several Chechens were killed in order to establish Russian control in the region. This was also true in Dagestan, a neighboring state of Chechyna.

If Russia truly is such a democratic nation and true to its beliefs, it had no reason of deploying soldiers near the Roki Tunnel or venturing into Gori or Abkhazia. Leading a naval strike was unnecessary as well. Russia should have at first not even bother to interfere with Georgia’s own domestic problems, or influence South Ossetian leaders. Most importantly, it should have only acted as a peacekeeping force and not an invader in the war, which it failed to do. Abkhazi, Gori and the Georgian coast should have never been touched. Russia was lucky, as the Olympics had taken center stage during the war, and with elections in America, not much importance was given to the situation; however, the United Nations and US should have definitely been more concrete and adamant in Russia withdrawing immediately.

Sources:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24203940-2703,00.html
http://www.regnum.ru/english/737823.html
http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=15080
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2008/08/200886171817421680.html
http://www.tol.cz/look/TOL/article.tpl?IdLanguage=1&IdPublication=4&NrIssue=281&NrSection=1&NrArticle=19821
http://www.radionetherlands.nl/news/international/5911953/Russia-condemns-Georgian-military-operation
CNN