A small region of Georgia has revealed it will hold a referendum in an attempt to officially become part of Russia sparking fears of yet more conflict to come.
It is believed the possible annexation of the South Ossetia region will be the next step in despot Vladimir Putin's expansion plans.
The breakaway state in the South Caucasus at the juncture of Asia and Europe is a pro-Russian region and declares itself a republic, despite most of the world recognising it as part of Georgia.
In a statement, South Ossetia’s President Anatoly Bibilov said he believed that “unity with Russia is our strategic goal” and “the aspiration of the people”.
“And we will move along this path. We will take the appropriate legal steps in the near future,” Mr Bibilov‘s statement reads.
“The Ossetian people are divided, and their historical and strategic goal is unification within one state. This state is the Russian Federation.”
There are fears the move by Georgia’s breakaway region could signal an escalation in Russia’s annexation ambitions, especially after Vladimir Putin used his recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk as a means of invading Ukraine.
The Kremlin said it was ready to absorb South Ossetia should the referendum pass, Russian politician Andrei Klimov confirmed.
South Ossetia has even sent troops to Ukraine in support of the Russian invasion. The president said this was in a bid to "help protect Russia".
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“Our guys are going to fulfil their military duty with a proudly raised banner,” he said on Telegram.
“They understand perfectly that they are going to defend Russia, they are going to defend Ossetia too.
“Because if fascism is not crushed at the distant frontiers, tomorrow it will again manifest itself here.”
Georgia’s second breakaway region, Abkhazia, has also supported the move.
Abkhazian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shamba said it was South Ossetia’s “historical destiny” to join Russia.
The Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, Moldova and Georgia could be under threat because of what US President Joe Biden calls Putin's "larger ambitions."
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