Comment by ochekurishvili

The very first Google search result on Russian passports in the province of South Ossetia: http://www.loc.gov/law/help/russian-georgia-war.php

We can argue on details endlessly and it's against my intention. The case is complicated indeed.

To keep it simple: Russia has been "operating" in this region for a long time and it's intention has always been to control Caucasus. It still continues such politics.