South Ossetia

South Ossetia is a partially recognised state on the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus, internationally recognised by most of the world as part of Georgia. It first declared independence as the South Ossetian Soviet Democratic Republic in September 1990 and reasserted it as the Republic of South Ossetia in May 1992, but did not secure recognition from Russia until after the 2008 Russo-Georgian war, in which Russian and Georgian forces fought directly over the territory. Its capital and largest city is Tskhinvali, and as of 2025 only Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Syria among United Nations member states recognise its independence, with Georgia and most of the international community treating it as Georgian territory under Russian occupation.