[1] The Ossetian Republican Guard (Russian: Республиканская гвардия Осетии) was organized on 15 November 1991 to participate in the defence of the national capital of Tskhinvali.

At the time of the major Georgian offensive, the bulk of the Ossetian force was concentrated in the settlement of Java to the north of Tskhinvali.

[6] According to Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, what thwarted the Georgian operation in the end was the resistance offered by peacekeepers and lightly armed South Ossetian units that stayed behind to defend the capital.

[11] On 31 March 2017, defence ministers of the two countries signed agreements whereby some units of the armed forces of South Ossetia would go under Russia′s command.

These fighters participated in combat as part of the 4th Guards Military Base stationed in the region, as well as in various volunteer and mercenary groups,[15][16][17] including "Storm Ossetia", "Alania", and "Pyatnashka".

[18][19] Anatoly Bibilov consistently voiced support for the war, calling it "our operation" and emphasizing historical and cultural ties with Russia[20][21] However, morale among South Ossetian troops deteriorated over time.

[22][23][24][25] Rising casualties further fueled panic among South Ossetia’s population, contributing to increased desertion and a decline in combat effectiveness.