Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia has inaugurated a former KGB security-services boss as its president after months of political turmoil in the Russian-backed province.
Leonid Tibilov won a repeat election this month after the results of a previous poll in November won by an opposition candidate were annulled, causing 10 days of protests.
Georgia, which considers the rebel region as its territory, dismissed the inauguration as illegal.
Russia recognized South Ossetia and another separatist province, Abkhazia, as independent states after the August 2008 Russia-Georgia war.
Leonid Tibilov won a repeat election this month after the results of a previous poll in November won by an opposition candidate were annulled, causing 10 days of protests.
Georgia, which considers the rebel region as its territory, dismissed the inauguration as illegal.
Russia recognized South Ossetia and another separatist province, Abkhazia, as independent states after the August 2008 Russia-Georgia war.