Breakaway region of Georgia to hold referendum on joining Russia

South Ossetia, focal point of Russia-Georgia war of 2008, will decide whether to subsume itself into larger neighbour in July

Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia will hold a referendum on joining Russia on 17 July, the region's leader announced on Friday.

Anatoly Bibilov signed a decree on holding a referendum in the Republic of South Ossetia," his office said in a statement, citing his people's historic aspiration" to join Russia.