The de facto leader of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Tskhinvali region, Alan Gagloev, has announced his resignation and will take up a new position within the administration of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The announcement was made in an address published by the occupied region’s state news agency, Res.
Gagloev claimed that his decision is linked to a transition to the Russian Presidential Administration. He said that a day earlier he had met with Putin, who offered him a position as a presidential adviser and tasked him with assisting in the implementation of agreements signed between Russia and the occupied region.
“President Putin proposed that I join the Presidential Administration as his adviser and contribute to the implementation of the agreements reached between our sides,” Gagloev said in his address.
Under the de facto republic’s “constitution,” Gagloev’s duties will temporarily be assumed by the so-called Prime Minister, Marat Kambolov.
Gagloev called on residents of the occupied region to unite around the new leadership and continue working for the region’s development.
The Kremlin has already confirmed the appointment, with Putin signing a decree naming Gagloev as a presidential adviser.
Gagloev was elected de facto president of the occupied Tskhinvali region in 2022. The next so-called presidential election had been scheduled for 2027, making his resignation an unexpected development in the region’s political landscape.
The Tskhinvali region, also known as South Ossetia, has been under Russian occupation since the 2008 Russia–Georgia war. The Georgian government and the vast majority of the international community recognize it as an integral part of Georgia.
