Prepared by Messenger Staff
More Than 2,000 Fighters From Tskhinvali Region Fighting in Ukraine, Russian Officer Says
More than 2,000 fighters from the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region are taking part in Russia's war against Ukraine, a representative of Russia's 4th Military Base in the region said.
Artem Abramov made the statement on September 28 during a roundtable at the "South Ossetian State University" titled "The Role of Russia in Ensuring the International Recognition of South Ossetia." The event was attended by university students and representatives of the Russian military base.
"South Ossetia makes an important contribution to the Russian military operation in Ukraine," Abramov said, according to the local news agency RES.
He said volunteers from the region had been fighting in Donbas since 2014 and that their numbers had increased significantly since then.
"More than 2,000 fighters from South Ossetia are fighting in the SVO zone," Abramov said, using the Kremlin's term for the war. He added that many had received Russian military orders and medals.
Abramov also said he believed what he described as a "victorious" end to the war would have a positive effect on the South Caucasus.
Fighters from the Tskhinvali region and Abkhazia have been involved on Russia's side since the early stages of the full-scale invasion. In March 2022, Ukraine's General Staff said Russia had recruited fighters from the two occupied regions and transferred around 2,000 troops to Ukraine.
Public Defender Ioseliani Holds Talks in Turkmenistan
Georgia's Public Defender Levan Ioseliani visited Ashgabat from September 25-27, meeting Turkmenistan's ombudsperson, parliament officials and deputy foreign minister, the Public Defender's Office said.
Ioseliani met with Turkmenistan's Commissioner for Human Rights Yazdursun Gurbannazarova to discuss cooperation between the two institutions. Gurbannazarova expressed interest in Georgia's experience with its National Preventive Mechanism, which monitors conditions in detention facilities.
The two sides agreed to sign a memorandum of cooperation in 2027, marking the 10th anniversary of Turkmenistan's ombudsperson institution.
Ioseliani also met with the chair of Turkmenistan's parliamentary Committee on International and Interparliamentary Relations and the country's deputy foreign minister. The discussions covered the Public Defender's three decades of experience, its institutional development and the preparation of its annual report to Parliament.
Women's rights were also discussed, including women's participation in Parliament and decision-making.
According to the Public Defender's Office, Turkmenistan's deputy foreign minister stressed the value of Georgia's experience in the field and described its Public Defender's Office as a regional institution with a broad mandate.
Ioseliani also attended Turkmenistan's 35th independence anniversary events, including a flower-laying ceremony at the Independence Monument, alongside Ambassador Konstantine Sabiashvili and members of the diplomatic corps.
