Why is the breakaway region of South Ossetia determined to vote to join Russia?

The leader of the breakaway South Ossetian region Anatoly Bibilov said that they have set July 17 as the date to hold a referendum on joining Russia.

“Leader Anatoly Bibilov signed a decree to hold a referendum in South Ossetia,” Bibilov’s office said in a statement, outlining the “historic aspirations” of people in the region. is to join Russia.

South Ossetia was at the center of a flash war between Russia and Georgia in 2008, along with another breakaway region, Abkhazia.

After the war, Russia and several other countries recognized South Ossetia as an independent state, but much of the world still considers this breakaway region of Georgia.

“We did it!”, South Ossetian leader Anatoly Bibilov announced on Telegram following the announcement that he had signed a decree establishing the referendum on July 17.

“In terms of legislation, we have met another important legal requirement. And in plain language, we’ve made a turning point in our lives – we’re going home, we’re going to Russia. It’s time to unite once and for all… South Ossetia and Russia will be together. This is the beginning of a bigger new story,” Bibilov stressed.

Mr. Bibilov had just lost his re-election bid earlier this month. Russia has expressed hope that incoming leader Alan Gagloev will maintain “continuity” in relations with Moscow.

South Ossetia’s announcement comes as Ukraine’s separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk have also expressed their desire to join Russia.

Georgia has condemned South Ossetia’s planned referendum as “unacceptable”.

The referendum is said to be modeled after the Crimean peninsula. After Russia took control of the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, a referendum was held on Crimea’s accession to Russia and as a result 97% of the population is said to have voted in favor.

Although the result of this referendum was not recognized by Ukraine and most countries, Russia later annexed Crimea.