Residents of South Ossetia ask Russia's protection

Citizens of the Russian Federation who live in South Ossetia are asking President and Prime Minister of Russia, and Speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation to protect them from liquidation.

During bombardment of Tskhinval at night of July 4 two persons were killed - V. Dzakhoev, 20, and N. Bibilov, 64, 11 persons were wounded. One of those wounded during the bombardment of the capital of South Ossetia - Roman Mamitov - is still in the resuscitation ward of the Republic's Somatic Hospital.

In the aftermath of the latest events, appeals to President of the Russian Federation Dmitri Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Speaker of the State Duma Boris Gryzlov were sent by a number of public and youth organizations of South Ossetia and employees of education and health care.

At night of July 4, Tskhinval was exposed to massive shelling from mortars, machine guns and fire arms. South Ossetia states that the members of the Georgian battalion of peacekeeping forces knew about the forthcoming attack.

Mikhail Mindzaev, Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia (RSO), told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that 40 minutes prior to the start of bombardment of the city of Tskhinval, the Georgian peacekeepers left the deployment area of the Mixed Peacekeeping Forces (MPKF).

The United Headquarters of the MPKF has confirmed to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent the information that Georgian peacekeepers had left the MPKF base.