The leader of the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia stepped down on Tuesday to become an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, weeks after the ratification of a major integration agreement with Moscow. “Today, our task is to fulfill our cherished dream — to overcome our fate as a divided people and reunite with North Ossetia, reunite with Great Russia,” South Ossetia’s Moscow-backed president, Alan Gagloyev, said in a video address. “I have given my support to our historic leader, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, and I am ready to stand alongside him,” he said, adding that he would immediately begin work as an adviser to the Kremlin leader.

The leader of the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia stepped down on Tuesday to become an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, weeks after the ratification of a…

TBILISI: The leader of South Ossetia, a breakaway region of Georgia that is backed by Russia, said on Tuesday that he is resigning to become an adviser to Russian President…

South Ossetia’s Moscow-backed president resigned Tuesday to become a Kremlin advisor, weeks after Russia ratified an integration agreement with the breakaway Georgian region.