Sydossetien vill följa Krim – planerar omröstning

Occupied territories of Georgia (Georgian: საქართველოს ოკუპირებული ტერიტორიები) are the territories occupied by Russia after the Russo-Georgian War in 2008. They consist of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, whose status is a matter of international dispute. After the war, Russian military bases were established in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Russia does not allow the European Union Monitoring Mission to enter either Abkhazia or South Ossetia. The Russian government, along with four others, recognises Abkhazia and South Ossetia as sovereign states, and it has signed agreements with the de facto administrations of both to integrate them militarily and economically into Russia. Russian troops have started the process of demarcation (also known as "borderization") near South Ossetia-Georgia administrative boundary line and meanwhile gradually advancing the occupation line inside Georgia to enlarge the Russian-held territory. Both Abkhazia and South Ossetia are widely recognised as integral parts of the Republic of Georgia. The Georgian "Law on Occupied Territories of Georgia", adopted in 2008, criminalises entry into Abkhazia and South Ossetia from the Russian side. Such entry is prosecutable by the Georgian authorities. The Georgian law also prohibits any economic and financial activities. Georgia and major part of international community (the US, the EU, NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe) consider Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which make up 20% of Georgia's land area, to be occupied territories and have condemned Russian military presence there.

Sydossetien (ossetiska: Хуссар Ирыстон, Chussar Iryston; georgiska: სამხრეთ ოსეთი, Samchret Oseti; ryska: Южная Осетия, Juzjnaja Osetija) är ett omstritt territorium i Kaukasus, erkänt som en del av Georgien av alla länder utom Ryssland, Nicaragua, Somalia, Venezuela och Nauru, som ser det som en självständig republik. Territoriet var tidigare ett autonomt område i sovjetrepubliken Georgien. Nu är större delen av detta kontrollerat av den de facto självständiga Republiken Sydossetien (med militärt stöd av Ryska federationen). Andra mindre delar av Sydossetien kontrolleras av den georgiska regeringen, som där skapat en temporär administrativ enhet, Provisoriska administrativa enheten Sydossetien) i april 2007, under ledning av etniska osseter (före detta medlemmar av separatistregeringen).