The For Georgia party has stated that Russia has begun the active phase of annexing the Tskhinvali region (the self-proclaimed Republic of South Ossetia) amid the authorities' "criminal silence." The opposition accuses the ruling Georgian Dream party of inaction.

"The State Duma of the Russian Federation adopted a federal law initiated by Vladimir Putin ratifying the agreement to deepen allied cooperation with the so-called Republic of South Ossetia. This is a step toward the de facto annexation of the Tskhinvali region. Particularly symbolic and cynical is the fact that this agreement was signed on May 9," reads a statement from the For Georgia party, led by former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia.

The opposition accused the ruling party of silence and inaction, as well as attempts to portray Georgia as the aggressor in the August 2008 war.

As a reminder, on May 9, the State Duma, at the initiative of President Putin, ratified an agreement to deepen the allied relationship between Russia and the self-proclaimed republic of South Ossetia. The document covers several areas, from economic and social policy to security and infrastructure development. South Ossetian leader Alan Gagloev stated that the new agreement takes the allied relationship with Russia to a new level.