Outside of Russia, which recognized South Ossetian independence purely as a tactic to spite the neighboring republic of Georgia, only four other countries do so: Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru, and Tuvalu. Not the United Nations or NATO affirm South Ossetia as an autonomous republic, but both have maintained heavy involvement in the region ever since Soviet fule faded from the area at the end of the 1980s. Under the USSR, South Ossetia was culturally different but integrated in the Georgian republic. As Georgia gained independence, so South Ossetia begin its own independence movement.

On this day, November 28, in 1991, South Ossetia declared they were forming their own independent republic within Georgia, which responded with a military invasion.

With Russia coming in on the side of the South Ossetians, Georgia had no choice but to accept a cease-fire, or risk a full-scale confrontation. The cease-fire was widely violated, and terrorist campaigns on both sides of the border continued until war erupted again in 2008. This time, Russia acted on their threat and invaded Georgia proper. Again, Georgia had to pull back. The South Ossetians continue living in relative independence, even one not recognized by most of the world.