Russo-Georgian War

The **2008 South Ossetia war** was a military conflict that started on 8 August 2008, between Georgia, South Ossetian (and Abkhazian) secessionists and Russia.

South Ossetia and Abkhazia are territories within Georgia that declared independence from Georgia and have been acting in a _de facto_ independent capacity since the early 1990s. Neither state has been diplomatically recognised by any member of the United Nations. The conflict began on August 8, 2008, after Georgia claimed South Ossetian separatists had broken a ceasefire by attacking villages, although South Ossetian officials deny that they attacked villages. Georgia launched a military offensive to surround and capture the capital of South Ossetia, Tskhinvali.

Russian military troops entered the war at the side of South Ossetia and won the conflict. Georgia launched the Georgia versus Russia (Hague court application, 2008)
in the International Court of Justice.

The war ended on Saturday August 16th, 2008.

## Other websites

- Official information from Georgia's government  President of the Republic of Poland
- State Committee of Information and Press of the Republic of South Ossetia

### Map resources

- Topographic maps of the region from Poyehali

### Videos

- BBC World News Youtube Channel
- Russia Today Youtube Channel
- A journey to South Ossetia 2007 documentary about life in South Ossetia
- Russian convoy moving towards Tskhinvali, 06:20
- Destruction in Tskhinvali, 01:36
- Casualties in Tskhinvali, 05:17
- Damaged hospital building in Tskhinvali, 02:17

## Infobox (military conflict)

- **conflict**: 2008 South Ossetia war
- **partof**: Georgian–Ossetian conflict
and Georgian–Abkhazian conflict
- **image**: 2008 South Ossetia war en.svg
- **caption**: Location of Georgia (including Abkhazia and South Ossetia) and the Russian part of North Caucasus
- **date**: 7 August 2008 – 16 August 2008
- **place**: South Ossetia, uncontested Georgia (country), Georgia, Abkhazia
- **casus**: 2008 South Ossetia War#1 August – 7 August: Towards the war, See here
- **territory**: Georgia loses control over parts of Abkhazia (25%) and former South Ossetia AO (40%) it previously held.
- **result**: Russian/South Ossetian/Abkhazian victory
* International recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent republics by Nicaragua and the Russian Federation.
* Expulsion of most ethnic Georgians from former South Ossetia AO and from the Kodori Valley, Kodori Gorge.
- **combatant1**: Georgia (country), Georgia
 **Supported By:**

- **strength2**: In South Ossetia:
10,000 soldiers.
In Abkhazia:
9,000 soldiers.
 2,900 regular soldiers.
 5,000 regular soldiers.
- **strength1**: In South Ossetia: 10,000–12,000 soldiers. Total: 18,000 soldiers, 10,000 reservists.

2,000 soldiers in Iraq War, Iraq at that time, returned short for the end of the conflict

810 Special Police Forces officers.
- **casualties1**: _Georgia:_

**Military**

162 killed, 947 wounded, 8 missing, 42 captured

**Police**
11 killed, 3 missing, 227 wounded
- **casualties2**: _Russia:_

64 killed, 283 wounded, 3 missing, 12 captured

_South Ossetia:_

150 killed (including volunteers), unknown number of wounded, 41 captured
 _Abkhazia:_

1 killed, 2 wounded
- **casualties3**: **Civilian casualties:**
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**Refugees:**