On August 7 and 8, the separatist region of South Ossetia held events to commemorate the 17th anniversary of what it described as Georgia's military aggression. The de-facto Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled that in August 2008, Georgia attacked South Ossetia in violation of international law, shelling residential areas in Tskhinvali and other settlements. It stated that Russian peacekeepers were also attacked and that civilian infrastructure was destroyed.

Officials in Tskhinvali emphasized that "Georgia's plans for a blitzkrieg were shattered by the steadfastness and courage of the South Ossetian defense forces and Russian peacekeepers." They credited the "decisive and timely actions of the Russian Federation to force the aggressor to peace" for saving the people of South Ossetia from complete destruction.

At a memorial service, Alan Gagloev, the de-facto president of the region, called the night of August 8, 2008, a "black page" in history. He stated that despite the suddenness of the attack, Ossetian soldiers fought with military valor and denied the enemy a sense of victory. Gagloev stressed that South Ossetia would never forget that only Russia intervened, sending soldiers "to protect brothers in spirit, by blood, by fate," thereby stopping the Georgian advance and preventing another genocide. "The war is over, an era of calm, peace, and revival has begun for our people," Gagloyev concluded.