Surkov acknowledges that Russia did not have courage to recognize "DNR/LNR". South Ossetia is used for this

Russian presidential aide Vladislav Surkov has admitted that the Russian Federation exercises considerable control over the occupied Donbass through a very partially recognized South Ossetia. This follows from his speech at the celebrations in Tskhinvali, dedicated to the 10th anniversary of Russia's recognition of the independence of the puppet republic "illegally created in the territory of Georgia", - TASS reports.

"South Ossetia is the only state that had the courage, audacity, honesty and fidelity to recognize the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic (Russia did not recognize the terrorist "DNR" and "LNR" – OstroV), - Surkov noted.

"It was not just a symbolic gesture, because recognition is much more. We all know that the financial, commercial, economic, legal and organizational infrastructure created in South Ossetia for these republics is the road of life in the context of blockade that the Kyiv regime commits in regard to the people of Donbass", - the Kremlin curator of separatism in the former Soviet republics recognized.

In particular, as it was reported earlier, the so-called Vneshtorgservis company was registered in the occupied territories in South Ossetia to actually take away property from their lawful owners (allegedly the introduction of "external management"). Through it, as through an intermediary, Russia buys coal, metal and other products stolen from Ukraine.

South Ossetia is illegally created state with the support of Russia in part of the occupied territories of Georgia. The question of its international legal status is controversial: the independence of the republic is recognized only by Russia itself, as well as by Nicaragua, Venezuela and Nauru. In this context, doubtfully "recognized" South Ossetia recognized the independence of the "DNR" and "LNR" in 2014. South Ossetia is being actively used by Russia to finance terrorism in the Donbass, provide militants with military assistance and for illegal trade with the occupied territories.