Russia and South Ossetia have signed an agreement to include separate military units of the South Ossetia into the Russian army, according to TASS.

The Defense Ministers of Russia and South Ossetia, Sergei Shoygu and Ibrahim Gaseev signed the agreement, which had been earlier approved by the President Vladimir Putin and the Russian government.

Sergei Shoygu announced, that the cooperation is "a stabilizing factor between Russia and South Ossetia in the Caucasus." According to him,  Russia provided a military support to the South Ossetia even before its independence.  

Gaseev, in his turn, confirmed that the agreement is of a great importance for the security of the country. According to the agreement, the citizens of the South Ossetia can be conscripted to the Russian military on the contractual bases. At the same time, they will have the same legal protections, as the Russian militaries have.