Meeting with President of South Ossetia Alan Gagloev

Following the meeting, an agreement on deepening allied cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Ossetia was signed.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Gagloev, I am happy to see you.

I know that Victory Day is widely celebrated in South Ossetia - and for good reason, because the Ossetian people played a highly active role in World War II and the Great Patriotic War. As we have discussed more than once, Ossetians rank first in the number of Heroes of the Soviet Union per capita, if one takes population size into account.

This also applies to the residents of South Ossetia. If I am not mistaken, eight out of the 34 Ossetians awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union were from South Ossetia. Nearly half of those who went to the front never returned. These were tremendous losses, and of course South Ossetia, Ossetia as a whole, and the Ossetian people can be proud of their ancestors. This is a vivid and heroic chapter in the history of the Ossetian people.

Our relations are developing positively today. Last year, I believe, our trade turnover increased by more than 14 percent.

There are many issues to discuss, and I suggest that we address them now.

President of South Ossetia Alan Gagloev: Thank you.

Mr President,

Let me once again thank you for the invitation, for the warm welcome, and for the opportunity to take part in the commemorative events marking the 81^st anniversary of the Soviet people's victory in the Great Patriotic War.

I would also like to express my gratitude for your decision, your support, and the funds allocated for the renovation of monuments and school museums dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. I have a photo report prepared and would like to leave it with you. Please, take a look at it when the opportunity arises.

Vladimir Putin: With pleasure.

Alan Gagloev: Official opening ceremonies were held at nearly all of the sites, with active participation from both young people and our veterans. And rightly so, because we share a common history that we value and preserve. So once again, I would like to express my special thanks.

Last year, we completed an investment programme and a programme of socioeconomic development. This year, we are launching a new investment programme and new programme of socioeconomic development in close cooperation with the Government of the Russian Federation and the Presdiential Executive Office.

Looking back at 2025, we have an absolutely positive trajectory in all areas. Regarding the humanitarian component, we have begun practical implementation of all the programmes in all fields which are in effect on the territory of the Russian Federation thanks to our colleagues from the Ministry of Culture, the Presidential Executive Office and the Ministry of Education.

The overall project is called We Overwhelmed Together, which is very emblematic because we overwhelmed together in 1945, we overwhelmed together in August 2008 in South Ossetia, and today, Russian and Ossetian brothers are standing up to our shared history shoulder to shoulder. Where there are Russians and Ossetians, there is always brotherhood. And the victory will be, of course, ours.

I would like to add that today we are going to sign a treaty on deep integration of South Ossetia with Russia. A special thank you to you for your instruction, we have worked it out with our colleagues.

I am certainly very proud to be able to participate on such a significant day, to sign an alliance treaty between the Russian Federation and South Ossetia. The document is a testimony to our close allied relations advancing to a new level.

In 2008, after the Russian Federation protected the people of South Ossetia from Georgia's military aggression, our states signed the first ground-breaking Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. That day marked massive recovery of the republic thanks to the Russian Federation. Mr President, we will never forget that support and help and will always remember it.

In 2015, after seven years of bilateral relations unfolding and our states getting closer to each other, a cooperation and integration treaty was signed which gave a huge boost to integration processes sin various areas of our collaboration.

To be continued.