Ex-Commander of the Peacekeeping Forces in Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone appointed as Russia’s envoy to South Ossetia

Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Marat Kulakhmetov, ex-commander of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces (JPKF) in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone, as the RF Ambassador to South Ossetia.

A corresponding decree has been published on the Russian official Internet-portal  for legal information.

Kulakhmetov will replace Elbrus Kargiev, Russia’s first envoy to South Ossetia, who’d headed the Russian diplomatic mission in Tskhinval since end of 2008. A new embassy complex in Tskhinval was put into operation during his term in office.

Marat Kulakhmetov was commander of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone in 2004-2008. Since 2011, he served as an advisor to the Russian Foreign Minister.

Tbilisi’s official reaction

“Any so-called appointment, which once again violates the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia as part of the so-called Russia’s recognition, is absolutely unacceptable for us. Therefore, this action certainly doesn’t have any legitimate and legal justification. In addition, the matter concerns a person who was directly involved in the 2008 developments. All that is a continuation of the political line pursued by Russia in the territory of Georgia,” Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, the Georgian State Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality, told journalists in Tbilisi.

The opinions, expressed in the article, reproduce the author’s terminology and views and not necessarily reflect the position of the editorial staff