Ministry of Defence of South Ossetia
Formation21 February 1992 (1992-02-21)
Typemilitary agency
HeadquartersTskhinvali
Location
Official language
Russian
Minister of Defense
Major-General Marat Pavlov
Website

The Ministry of Defense of South Ossetia (Russian: Министерства обороны Южной Осетии, МО РЮО) is a government agency of the partially recognized Republic of South Ossetia. It is the executive body in implementing defense policies in of the Armed Forces of South Ossetia. The current Minister of Defense is Lieutenant-Colonel Vladimir Pukhaev.

History

On 17 November 1992, the Supreme Soviet of South Ossetia approved the decision "On the formation the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of South Ossetia". In January 1993, the organizational structure of the ministry was approved by the government. The first combat units of the national armed forces were formed in February 1993. The first appointed Minister of Defence was Valeriy Khubulov. The first units in the MoD was the Military Intelligence Unit and the Artillery Division.[1]

In February 2018, festive events dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Ministry of Defense. Events were held from 20 to Defender of the Fatherland Day on 23 February and featured tactical drills as well as a wreath-laying ceremony at memorial monuments. An Abkhaz delegation was led by First Deputy Defense Minister Beslan Tsvizhba. Delegations were also from Russia and the Donetsk People's Republic.[2]

List of ministers

The Minister of Defense is the executive minister responsible for the management of the ministry as well as the armed forces. The following is a list of ministers of defence of South Ossetia from 1993 – present:

  • Valeriy Hubulov (1993 – 1996)[3]
  • Bala Bestauty (2001 – 2002)
  • Zelim Muldarov (2002 – June 2003)[4]
  • Bala Bestauty (June – September 2003)
  • Lieutenant General Anatoly Barankevich (2004 – 2006)
  • Oleg Ivannikov (2006 – 2008)[5]
  • Major General Vasily Lunev (February 2008 – 2010)
  • Yuri Tanayev (2010)
  • Lieutenant General Ibrahim Gazseev (2016 – 2022)
  • Colonel Viktor Fedorov (2022, acting)[6]
  • Lieutenant-Colonel Vladimir Pukhaev (2022)[7][8][9]
  • Major-General Marat Pavlov (2022 August – present)[10]

MoD structure

Units

The MoD maintains multiple units such as a Special Forces battalion, a training company, an infantry battalion, and a motorized rifle battalion.

Special Forces Battalion

The Special Forces Battalion named after Zelim Muldarov is part of the MoD. As an elite unit, it often takes part in live exercises to ensure its combat readiness.[11] It participated in the Russo-Georgian War of 2008.[12][13] The unit celebrated its professional holiday, the Day of the Military Intelligence Officer, on 5 November.[14]

Training Company

The training company is a unit that was established in June 2016 and consists of conscripts. It is divided into infantry, artillery and reconnaissance platoons. Its personnel train in physical, tactical, medical, and public training among other disciplines.[15]

Honour Guard

The honour guard during the Victory Day Parade in Tshkinvali 2018.

The Honour Guard Company is the ceremonial unit of the armed forces. Its uniform is similar to that of the 154th Preobrazhensky Independent Commandant's Regiment in the Russian Army. It also has a full dress uniform that is based on the clothing of the Circassians. Despite its ceremonial nature, it can also participate in military drills to ensure its combat readiness.[16] The unit conducted a drill performance during the 2019 Republic Day parade for the first time.[17]

Brass Band

The Brass Band of the Ministry of Defense is the only military band in the armed forces. It was formed in 1996 and is currently led by Alexander Gabaraev. Its repertoire includes Ossetia, Russian and Soviet military tunes.[18] In April 2016, the band began recruiting musicians and increasing its instrumentation in a planned expansion of the band.[19] It is currently attached to the motorized rifle battalion.[20]

Cadet Corps

The cadet corps was created on 28 April 2011 by resolution of the government of South Ossetia, on the initiative of the defense ministry.[21] It is on par with the Suvorov Military Schools in Russia, Belarus and Transnistria. Graduates of the school are given an acceleration when joining the regular army and can even go on to enroll in military/civilian universities in Russia. In June 2014, director Arthur Tadtaev of the cadet corps announced the incorporation of pupils from the 8th grade to the 10th grade.[22][23]

MoD Military Town

In 2021, the a ceremony opening of the Memorial Complex "Military Glory" in memory of the first Minister of Defense Valery Khubulov took place. A capsule with a message was installed at the base of the Memorial Complex and is planned to be opened on the day of the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Ministry of Defense on November 17, 2042.[24]

Awards

The ministry has the authority to give 4 military awards:[25]

  • Medal "For Military Merit" – Honors members of the Armed Forces of the Republic of South Ossetia, as well as citizens of South Ossetia and foreign countries.
  • Medal "For Combat Commonwealth" – Honors people who merits have strengthened military cooperation.
  • Medal "For Military Valour" – Honors soldiers who showed courage in the line of duty.
  • Medal "Khubulov" – It honors those who actions contributed to the safety of the country. It is named after Valery Khubulov.[26]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Создание Министерства обороны способствовало укреплению обороноспособности Республики — Южная Осетия".
  2. ↑ "В Южной Осетии отметили 25-летний юбилей со дня образования минобороны республики". Государственное Информационное Агентство "Рес" (in Russian). 2018-02-21. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
  3. ↑ Хубулов, Валерий
  4. ↑ "Зелим Мулдаров - самоотверженный воин и преданный Отечеству офицер". 5 November 2019.
  5. ↑ https://jam-news.net/former-south-ossetian-defence-minister-idntified-as-the-russian-general-in-charge-of-the-attack-on-mh17/amp/
  6. ↑ "Russian General Named Acting Defense Chief of Tskhinvali". 28 February 2022.
  7. ↑ "Ministry of Defense of South Ossetia headed by Vladimir Pukhaev". 18 April 2022.
  8. ↑ "New de-facto Defence Minister in separatist Tskhinvali". 24 April 2022.
  9. ↑ "New "Defense Minister" Appointed in Tskhinvali". 18 April 2022.
  10. ↑ "The Ministry of Defense of South Ossetia was headed by a Russian officer". 23 August 2022.
  11. ↑ "В Южной Осетии прошли учения спецназа Минобороны".
  12. ↑ "Боевое знамя вручено батальону спецназа Минобороны Южной Осетии". 21 February 2020.
  13. ↑ "» Анатолий Бибилов вручил Боевое знамя батальону специального назначения им. З. Мулдарова Официальный сайт Президента Республики Южная Осетия".
  14. ↑ "Зелим Мулдаров - самоотверженный воин и преданный Отечеству офицер". 5 November 2019.
  15. ↑ "Учебной роте Министерства обороны РЮО – 3 года".
  16. ↑ "Военнослужащие роты почетного караула совершают марш-броски".
  17. ↑ "Министерство обороны Южной Осетии: плановые учения".
  18. ↑ "Военный оркестр МО РЮО представил концерт для военнослужащих".
  19. ↑ "В военный оркестр набирают музыкантов".
  20. ↑ Военный оркестр Минобороны Южной Осетии набирает музыкантов
  21. ↑ "Из жизни первого кадетского корпуса в Южной Осетии". 17 March 2011.
  22. ↑ "В Южной Осетии объявлен набор в Кадетский корпус Минобороны". 18 June 2014.
  23. ↑ "В Южной Осетии объявлен набор в Кадетский корпус Минобороны".
  24. ↑ "В Минобороны РЮО состоялось торжественное открытие Мемориального комплекса «Воинской славы". Министерство обороны Республики Южная Осетия. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
  25. ↑ "Ведомственные награды » Министерство обороны Республики Южная Осетия".
  26. ↑ "Медаль "Медаль Хубулова"".
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