The National Liberation Struggle and the Declaration of Independence of South Ossetia in the Late 80s - Early 90s. 20th Century

Abstract

The article deals with issues related to the history of the creation of the statehood of the Republic of South Ossetia from the time of the beginning of the destruction of the Soviet Union until its complete collapse. The relevance of the article is due to the growing interest in the historical conditions for the construction of statehood in South Ossetia, its features and characteristics. In addition, the events of this important stage in the recent history of the South Ossetian people are still insufficiently covered in the domestic scientific literature. Particular attention is paid to the political processes of the late 80s - early 90s. of the last century, which radically changed the situation in South Ossetia. It is noted that the invasion of the Georgian armed formations into the territory of South Ossetia, as well as the facts of the genocide carried out against them by the Georgian Mensheviks in the summer of 1920, preserved in the historical memory of the South Ossetian people, predetermined the impossibility of further being part of the Georgian state, aggressively disposed against national minorities. Accordingly, the population of South Ossetia came to the full realization of the need to declare independence, as the only way to save themselves from physical destruction by Georgian nationalists. Great importance in the work was given to the consideration of a set of issues related to the political, legal and historical justifications for the declaration of independence of the Republic of South Ossetia. In particular, it is stated that the implementation of the strategic course towards full independence and sovereignty of the republic, self-determination of the South Ossetian people was carried out in accordance with the union legislation in force at that time. As a result, the people of South Ossetia, who suffered heavy human losses and destruction during the national liberation struggle, retained their historical lands, the article emphasizes.