TSKHINVAL, August 8. /TASS/. Seven years ago Russia came to rescue and saved the people of South Ossetia from complete annihilation, South Ossetian President Leonid Tibilov told TASS on Saturday.

"Every year in these August days, South Ossetia remembers those horrible events," Tibilov said, speaking on the anniversary of the armed conflict in 2008. "This date unites the pain of losses and memory of bravery and heroism that defenders of Tskhinval and Russian soldiers showed."

Tibilov noted that "thanks to bravery of [South] Ossetian fighters and Russian pecaekeepers, Tskhinval was held until the 58th army came, and its tanks entered the city just in time, in the midst of Georgian aggression."

"It is hard to convey how hopefully and faithfully people waited in Tskhinval for the Russian army," the president said. "It was the matter of life and death. Already on the second day, writings appeared everywhere saying ‘Thank you Russia!’ This way, people wanted to express their profound gratitude to Russia which did not leave them in trouble, which came and saved the people from complete annihilation," he added.

Russia continues to help South Ossetia greatly, Tibilov stressed. "Restoration and construction works give new impetus. Since the end of 1980s, our people had lived ‘in delay’ like they said then, lived with expectation that stable peace will come and they can build a house that will not be destroyed by the enemy, that they can create without fearing that someone will destroy it all," he said.

This time has come, Tibilov continued. "People are working like never before in previous years. Thanks to Russian financial aid, investment program of assistance to social and economic development of the republic is being implemented, and the republic has almost reemerged from the ruins - houses and infrastructure were restored, new roads and socially important facilities were built," the South Ossetian president concluded.