My point is that this is purely a Russian pretext.
The "Republic Of South Ossetia" would not be conceivable except for Russian agitation.
45,000 people in a nation of 4 million would never even think of starting a separatist movement unless it was financed, sponsored and fostered from the outside.
How conceivable is the “nation” of Kosovo or even Bosnia without NATO troops?
What goes around, comes around.