Separatist South Ossetia to hold referendum

The de facto government of South Ossetia has announced that a referendum would be held on whether the area should join Russia.

In a March 30 televised speech, the de facto ruler Anatoly Bibilov declared, "unification with Russia is our strategic aim, our route, the aspiration of our people, and we will advance on this path. We will take the necessary legal actions as soon as possible. South Ossetia will be reunited with its ancient country, Russia."

Officials said the referendum would take place after the elections for the de facto presidency of the territory, which are set for April 10 and in which Bibilov is expected to face stiff competition despite the fact that many of the strongest candidates have been disqualified by the Central Electoral Commission. He has been chastised for sending some South Ossetian soldiers to fight for Russia in Ukraine, which is controversial.

De-facto officials in Georgia’s breakaway South Ossetia frequently call for the territory's integration into Russia. Bibilov's predecessor proposed for a vote on the topic in 2016, but it was never held.

On March 30, a televised debate between the contenders took place, although Bibilov pulled out, citing the need to attend important negotiations on the integration problem. "Right now, conversations are being held to ensure that the procedures being taken to integrate into Russia are legitimate," he stated. On March 31, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson, Dmitriy Peskov, said, "I can't give any view on integration and the referendum. We have taken no legal or other activities in this region, but the problem here is the expression of the people of South Ossetia's viewpoint, which we will handle with respect."

"The most important thing is that there are already conversations going on with our Russian colleagues," Bibilov stated.

Sergei Shamba, the president of the occupied Abkhazia's security council, said that while Sukhumi supported Russia's potential annexation of South Ossetia, separatist Abkhazia prefer independence. "Unification with North Ossetia, a national ideal, is most likely their historical destiny... We just support brotherly South Ossetia's objectives," Shamba said. However, he stated that there are no pro-Russian attitudes in Abkhaz political circles or the general people. "Such attitudes do not exist in society. We paid a hefty price for our freedom... I don't know of any political force, groups, or social movements in Abkhazia that would be motivated by the possibility of giving up independence," Shamba stated.

David Zalkaliani, Georgia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister has condemned the proposed "referendum" on "unification" with Russia in the occupied Tskhinvali Region. "It is inappropriate to contemplate any referendums while Russia occupies Georgia's land," FM Zalkaliani said. The government will not allow Georgia to be "dragged into provocations" or for the "dire repercussions" of the 2008 Russo-Georgian War to reoccur, according to the senior diplomat. Georgia's stance of peaceful de-occupation, according to FM Zalkaliani, is consistent and dedicated. The senior diplomat stated, "we will not use force to restore territorial integrity," adding, "this is our legal commitment, which the international community plainly supports."

"Neither de facto authorities (in Tskhinvali) nor the Russian government have the right to make choices regarding the future of South Ossetia, which is part of Georgia," US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said at his regular press briefing. "We will not recognise the results of any effort by Russia or its proxies to divide sovereign Georgian territory, just as we did not recognise Russia's illegal seizure and attempted annexation of Crimea in 2014, and just as we did not recognise the Kremlin's cynical attempt to recognise independence of the so-called DNR and LNR in Eastern Ukraine just before it launched its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine."

More South Ossetian servicemen left to participate in separatist war against Ukraine

More South Ossetian troops have departed to fight in Russia's conflict against Ukraine. Anatoly Bibilov, a Kremlin-backed politician said, "they understand very well that when they go to protect Russia, they also go to defend Ossetia. Because if fascism is not put down on the distant frontier, it will sprout here again against our nation tomorrow," Bibilov warned, echoing Moscow's stance about "de-Nazification" of Ukraine. "They are on fire," Bibilov, who is up for re-election, remarked of the military before they left.

Earlier, fighters from Russia's 58th army's 4th military camp in South Ossetia was sent to Ukraine. Eyewitnesses saw big military vehicles with Russian and South Ossetian flags heading out of the republic towards the Russian-South Ossetian border.

Russian military personnel, including contract soldiers from South Ossetia, were escorted by Ossetian heroic songs, national flags, prayers, and wishes of the patronage of the Almighty and most revered in Ossetia, Saint Uastirdzhi – the patron of warriors and travellers in Ossetia, while on the streets of Tskhinvali towards the Roksky tunnel, and onto Russian territory.

Volunteers from South Ossetia took part in military activities on the Donbas side in eastern Ukraine. With the launch of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, volunteers from Tskhinvali were once again lured to the battleground areas.