**Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has arrived in Georgia’s breakaway region of South Ossetia, his spokeswoman says.**It is the first time that Mr Medvedev has visited South Ossetia since Russia and Georgia fought a brief war last year over the territory.
The anniversary of the beginning of the conflict is less than a month away.
Russia is one of only two countries to have recognised the independence of South Ossetia and of Georgia’s other breakaway region, Abkhazia.