More Conflict To Come As Region Of Georgia Tries To Be Part Of Russia?

A new escalation in the Kremlin’s conflict with the West is expected as the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia will seek to become a part of Russia.

South Ossetia’s President Anatoly Bibilov said in a statement that the self-declared republic of about 50,000 will start the legal process to join Russia, reported Bloomberg. Bibilov said that if South Ossetia joins the Russian Federation, it could become a single entity with North Ossetia, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Daily Star reported that it is believed that the possible annexation of the South Ossetia region will be the next step in Russian leader Vladimir Putin's plans of expansion. Bibilov said that he believed that “unity with Russia is our strategic goal,” and “the aspiration of the people." He noted that they will move along this path, and will take the "appropriate legal steps in the near future."

According to him, the Ossetian people are divided, and their historical and strategic goal is unification within one state, and this "state is the Russian Federation.” This could signal an escalation in Russia’s annexation ambitions. The conflict fears come as Putin used his recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk as a means of attacking Ukraine.

Russian politician Andrei Klimov confirmed that the Kremlin said that it was ready to absorb South Ossetia should the referendum pass. In support of the Russian invasion, South Ossetia has even sent soldiers to Ukraine, with Bibilov saying that this was in a bid to "help protect Russia." He shared that their men are going to "fulfil their military duty with a proudly raised banner."

He noted that their men understand perfectly that they are going to "defend Russia, they are going to defend Ossetia too." According to him, if fascism is not crushed at the distant frontiers, "tomorrow it will again manifest itself here.”

Abkhazia, which is Georgia’s second breakaway region, has also supported the move, with Abkhazian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shamba saying that it was South Ossetia’s “historical destiny” to join Russia.

Russia’s presence in South Ossetia has repeatedly been slammed by the US and European Union as they feel it undermines Georgian sovereignty.