Photo-exhibition "Life on the border" reflecting the life and service of employees of the FSB Border Control Agency of Russia in South Ossetia, was opened at the Russian Centre of Science and Culture in Tskhinval.
The event was attended by Ambassador of Russia to South Ossetia Elbrus Kargiev, the KGB Chairman Boris Attoev, the head of Rossotrudnichestvo in South Ossetia Mikhail Stepanov, representatives of Russian Border Guard Service, the KGB of South Ossetia and the Russian Embassy in South Ossetia.
Opening the exhibition Michael Stepanov has noted that the Russian Centre of Science and Culture became home not only for Russian compatriots, citizens of the Republic, but also for other Russian citizens who live and work in the Republic.
"The longstanding ties unite us with the Russian FSB Border Control Agency."- said Stepanov,
expressing hope that the photo exhibition " Life on the border" dedicated to the fifth anniversary of the formation of the Border Control Agency in South Ossetia will be a new phase of positive relations between the two agencies in the coming 2014.
Deputy Head of the FSB Border Control Agency of Russia in the Republic of South Ossetia Oleg Bitkin has noted that the works presented at the exhibition reflect the most significant and bright moments of operational and service activity of the Border Control Agency.
"We decided to organize an exhibition dedicated to the fifth anniversary of the Border Control Agency, which we will be celebrating in April, 2013. Since April 30, 2009 the Border Control Agency has been protecting the state border of South Ossetia, together with the Security Committee of the RSO in accordance with the agreement of the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Ossetia on the joint protection of the state border, "- said Bitkin.
During the existence of the Border Control Agency, it has been done a lot.
"If earlier the border guard officers were stationed in emergency shelters, tents, dugouts and the border infrastructure was undeveloped, then today as a result of the joint activities of the Border Control Agency, the Embassy of the Russian Federation , representatives of the law enforcement agencies of the Republic - Ministry of Emergency Situations, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Defense, the fourth military base border, the Border Service of the KGB of the RSO the situation has changed cardinally,"- said Bitkin.
He has added that for the current year the border guards of the Border Control Agency in cooperation with the Security Committee of the RSO detained more than 170 violators of the state border, discovered more than 30 caches of weapons and ammunition.
"I want to thank all representatives of interacting agencies and departments within the territory of South Ossetia for their participation in the joint decision of the protection of the state border," - said Bitkin.
He has also expressed his gratitude to representatives of the Russian Embassy in South Ossetia Natalia Zhuykova and Olga Mikhailidi for cooperation with the Border Control Agency and presented them memorable addresses on behalf of the Chief of the Border Control Agency of FSB of Russia in South Ossetia Valery Reznitchenko.
The proto exhibition will run until December 22.
"The pictures are interesting as taken not by professionals, but by border guards themselves, the people who are supervising the border. For them it is not just a job, the state border for them is their life,"- said the press-service official of the Border Control Agency, adding that in the future it is planned to expand the exposition of the exhibition.
