Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said at his meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin that all necessary decisions must be made on aid to South Ossetia, according to Itar-Tass. “As regards South Ossetia, the housing in Tskhinvali and border residential areas, practically everything has been destroyed there, to put it softly. I believe that we should help people return to their homes, help them restore their houses and apartments,” Putin said reporting to Medvedev results of his trip to Vladikavkaz. He said the Russian government had developed a program of assistance to restoration of housing in South Ossetia. “We should understand the scale of destruction. It is already clear that it is colossal, but at the first stage I consider it possible, and we have made the decision with the Finance Ministry to appropriate for these needs not less than 10 billion roubles. We are ready to increase this sum, but this can be done only after a serious analysis of the real situation by the moment of restoration,” Putin said. “Let us make all necessary decisions,” Medvedev replied.
