"Russia continues to ignore its international obligations and is taking steps aimed at annexing Georgian regions," said Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili.

She stated that this was confirmed by the "so-called agreement on deepening alliance and integration, signed on May 9, 2026, in Moscow and Tskhinvali between the Russian occupation regime and Tskhinvali."

Earlier, the opposition party "For Georgia" stated that Russia had entered the "active phase of the de facto annexation" of the Tskhinvali region. The party accused the Georgian authorities of "criminal silence" and claimed that the ruling Georgian Dream party had effectively failed to respond to the agreement between Moscow and Tskhinvali.

On May 13, the Russian State Duma ratified the agreement signed on May 9 to deepen the alliance between Russia and South Ossetia. The document covers a wide range of areas, including economics, social affairs, security, and infrastructure development.

South Ossetian leader Alan Gagloev stated that the agreement elevates relations between Moscow and Tskhinvali "to a higher level."