MOSCOW. Jan 31 (Interfax) - The Federation Council ratified the agreement between Russia and South Ossetia on the procedure for incorporating South Ossetian military units into the Russian Armed Forces on Wednesday.
The document was signed on March 31, 2017, on the basis of the alliance and integration treaty between Russia and South Ossetia of March 18, 2015.
"Considering the importance of cooperation in the provision of stability and security, the agreement defines the incorporation of some units to the Russian Armed Forces as citizens' enrollment in the Russian Armed Forces on a contractual basis and their voluntary service at a Russian military base," the document reads.
The document notes that before citizens enter into contracts with the Russian Armed Forces, they must be discharged from the South Ossetian army.
Such citizens will continue their military service in accordance with Russian law, according to the agreement.
It also says that South Ossetia will reform its army and decrease in size by the number of citizens who join the Russian Armed Forces.
The agreement was signed for a period of 25 years with the possibility of automatic extension.
Russian State Secretary and Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov said earlier that contract service of South Ossetian citizens at the Russian military base would help create a common defense space and ensure joint engagement of troops of the two countries.
"In the end, the fulfillment of this agreement will help create a common defense space of the two countries and include South Ossetian units in the joint system of training and engagement of the Southern Military District," Pankov said.
He also said that once the agreement was ratified residents of South Ossetia naturalized by Russia would be able to sign contracts with the Russian Armed Forces for serving at the Russian military base in South Ossetia.