Updated on Saturday, July 04, 2009, 13:03 IST

Tskhinvali, July 04: The Dzaurikau-Tskhinvali pipeline, which will bring Russian natural gas directly to South Ossetia, will be launched on August 26.

According to Inal Pliyev, assistant to the South Ossetian first vice-premier, the date had been coordinated with Gazprom.

Earlier, South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity proposed to start up the pipeline on August 8, the anniversary of the Georgian aggression against South Ossetia.

"It will be symbolic if Russian gas comes to South Ossetia exactly one year after Georgia started the war," South Ossetian President Eduard Kokoity said.

"There was a time when the gas pipeline project was under the threat of halting, but Gazprom corrected the contractor's mistakes. Gazprom representatives displayed courage and 'conquered' the Caucasian Ridge," Kokoity said thanking Gazprom for the assistance to his republic.

Two kilometres of the pipeline are still to be laid at the highest point of the route, Kudarsky mountain pass at 3,148 meters above the sea level.

The pipeline construction began in 2006. So far South Ossetia receives Russian gas via Georgian territory.

Bureau Report