Russia declares about South Ossetia's independence

Russia on Tuesday declared the independence of the two enclaves that have long sought to secede from the neighbouring Georgia. The strains deepened with the West on the conflict at the crossroads key economic. Caucasus and roiled a wider debate on how to respond to separatist movements in the world.

The Russian decision was intended to consolidate its political and military gains in the two and a half weeks since he invaded Georgia has erupted after the hostilities in the breakaway territory of South Ossetia, an ally of Moscow.

The Russian president, A. Dmitri Medvedev, said in an address televised nationally as South Ossetia and other pro-Russian enclave, Abkhazia, never again have to endure what he described as oppressive Georgian rule.