Mikhail Mindzaev, the interior minister of breakaway South Ossetia, confirmed the South Ossetian side was installing military fortifications in the conflict zone.

In remarks posted on the South Ossetian Press and Information Committee website on July 31, Mindzaev acknowledged that the move was in violation of agreements, but added that the South Ossetian side had been forced to act in response to similar moves by the Georgian side.

“Our posts are being reinforced and will be reinforced unless the Georgian side ceases its destructive actions,” Mindzaev said. “We understand that building fortifications is a violation of previously reached agreements, but it was Georgia which violated these agreements first.”

He also said that the Georgian side continued to install, what he called, illegal posts and fortifications in the conflict zone for the purpose of “staging provocations” and “destabilizing the situation” in the region.