m̌ ḫ's photos with the keyword: Ossetia

South Ossetia is a very mountainous region located in the Caucasus at the juncture of Asia and Europe. It occupies the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus mountain range and its foothills which are part of the Iberia Plain, a geographic plateau that is roughly in the center of South Ossetia. The Likhi Range shapes the western geographic boundary of South Ossetia, although the northwestern corner of South Ossetia is located west of the range. Before the Georgian–Ossetian conflict, roughly two-thirds of the population of South Ossetia was Ossetian and 25–30% was Georgian. The dispute surrounding the presence of the Ossetian people in the South Caucasus has been one of the causes of conflict. In the late 1980s, a separatist movement emerged in South Ossetia that sought secession from Georgia and unification with North Ossetia–Alania. In 1989, Soviet troops were sent to maintain peace. Shortly after Georgia gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, heavy fighting broke out between Ossetian and Georgian forces, forcing thousands to flee South Ossetia. In 2008, South Ossetia saw a brief war between Russia and Georgia. Moscow subsequently recognized South Ossetia as an independent state, and began a process of closer ties that Georgia views as effective annexation. Russia should recognise also North Ossetia as an independent state, too - the logic says.

This photo might seem not to show much, except the excessive green colour. A fantastic green colour of the Greater Caucasus mountains. It has been taken randomly somewhere in South Ossetia. Randomly, as our journey from Vladikavkaz to Georgia led through the chaotic area (de facto fragile independent from the government in Tbilisi) following the First South Ossetia War. As suggested, our intention was to travel to Georgia on land, and improvising took us to an unforseen path, sitting in the marshrutka (routed taxicab) with locals, heading to Cxinvali and very quickly hop on another bus to Tbilisi...