The Defense Minister of South Ossetia Vladimir Pukhaev announced the need to recognize the status of Ossetian volunteers taking part in the special operation in the Donbass. Pukhaev is on a working trip to Donetsk, where he will meet with the South Ossetian servicemen and volunteers, as well as the military leadership of the DPR.
The Minister told TASS that he would seek to ensure that the commanders of the Ossetian volunteer detachment were in direct contact with the command of the 4th Russian military base (deployed in South Ossetia), where military personnel from South Ossetia are serving, in order to, if necessary, assist them in confronting the enemy.
“Many volunteers from South Ossetia are fighting in the Donbass,” said Pukhaev. “During the meeting with them, I have learned that they are facing huge problem when they are sometimes equated with gangs and do not accept their help on the front line. This is a volunteer detachment, consisting of South and North Ossetians, they have the status of a volunteer and I intend to vouch for them to the Russian command so that they have the opportunity to help their compatriots on the battlefield."
He has stressed that he intends to seek appropriate solutions during the meetings with the leadership of the DPR, representatives of the Russian Federation and the leadership of the 4th Russian military base, which includes citizens of South Ossetia participating in the special operation in Ukraine.
The agreement between Russia and South Ossetia on the procedure for the entry of certain units of the republic's armed forces into the RF Armed Forces was signed in Moscow on March 31, 2017. It establishes the procedure for accepting citizens of South Ossetia with Russian citizenship, permanently residing in the republic and registered there for military service, to serve under a contract in the Russian army. At the same time, the sending of contract servicemen from South Ossetia is stipulated, and a gradual increase in monetary payments to them is also provided.
