If you trace it deeper... then you might find something interesting.
Well.. here is what I found.
South Ossetia is bound to Georgia because of Soviet Union regional framework division.
I called this a failure in planning the framework... in truth South Ossetia is closer (in ethnic, culture and people) with North Ossetia (in Russia now).
After the Soviet crumbles... South Ossetia tries many times to unite with North Ossetia... in short becoming a part of Russia. Well, Georgia is opposing this... why? simple... Natural resources... it is a monetary issue. This eventually escalates into internal wars between South Ossetia and Georgia. Most of Ossetians are Russian people (with Russian passport too)...
Georgia recently asks to join NATO for backups and security. Ossetians feels more threatened and unleashes a new war. Russia that is threatened by NATO expansions... decides to dig in.
If a referendum is called in both Abhkazia and Ossetia... I am pretty sure that they will join Russia in the end.
