Marat Kambolov’s Appointment as Prime Minister Indicates Deepening of Annexation Policy in Tskhinvali Region – Institute for the Study of Democracy

According to the assessment of the Institute for the Study of Democracy (DRI), the ongoing political crisis in the occupied Tskhinvali region and the recent personnel changes are the result of direct pressure from the Kremlin.

According to the organization, against the backdrop of pressure exerted on de facto President Alan Gagloev, the so-called Parliament approved Marat Kambolov as the so-called Prime Minister, whom the DRI characterizes as a representative of Vladimir Putin’s close circle and a trusted person.

According to the press release, the aforementioned decision represents an unprecedented example of the Kremlin’s interference in the internal political processes of the occupied region. The organization, based on behind-the-scenes information, notes that Moscow categorically demanded that Gagloev dismiss the government, and despite the opposition of local influential figures, it carried out its decision to the end.

According to DRI, Marat Kambolov’s appearance in Tskhinvali and his assumption of the speaker’s seat in the parliament were followed by protests and confrontations on the ground, but this did not prevent the process from being completed.

According to the organization, Kambolov’s appointment as the so-called Prime Minister confirms the continuation of the policy of de facto annexation of the occupied territory. The press release notes that Moscow no longer trusts local political elites and is handing over the reins of government to its own cadres.

In addition, DRI points out that the new so-called Prime Minister, in his public speech, focused on the alliance with Russia, the so-called On the “special military operation” and the improvement of the functioning of the so-called Russian-South Ossetian border.

According to the Institute for the Study of Democracy, less than a year remains before the expiration of Alan Gagloev’s term of office, however, the processes are accelerated and information is already circulating in law enforcement agencies about possible early so-called presidential elections in the fall.

According to the organization, the appointment of a person trusted by Putin as the head of government indicates that the governing processes in the occupied Tskhinvali region are coming under the direct control of the Kremlin, which, in their assessment, represents a particularly dangerous stage of the annexation process.