Tskhinval/Agency Caucasus – Hundreds of Don Cossacks living in North Caucasus and South Russia formed voluntary troops and arrived in Tskhinval, capital of South Ossetia, as a display of support to help defend South Ossetia against Georgia.
The statement that voluntary Cossack troops were formed came from Vladimir Voronin, Deputy Ataman of the Don Cossacks’ Union. Secretary-General Anatoli Barankevich of the Security Council of South Ossetia, said that in case of further escalation of the tension, voluntary Cossack troops would be granted the same military status as troops of South Ossetia: "The Cossacks will not fight against Georgia; they will protect the honour as well as reputation of both Russians and South Ossetians."
In his August 2 statement, Eduard Kokoiti, President of South Ossetia, revealed that he received offers from the Republic of North Ossetia to send voluntary troops to South Ossetia. Later in his August 4 statement, Kokoiti said that as many as 300 voluntary troops came from North Ossetia, and 2 000 or so more would be expected to come. As the number of voluntary troops increases, it is hoped that Georgia will divert from its goal of launching a war against South Ossetia.
Georgia’s Foreign Ministry released its own statement, on the other hand. It expressed its fear that the Tskhinval regime apparently prepared for the war. "Recently, 300 terrorists of Russian citizenship have come from Russia to Tskhinval, according to what the Tskhinval leaders said." KU/ÖZ/FT
