The President paid tribute to the victims of the Beslan tragedy by laying flowers at the Tree of Sorrow monument. In September 2004, terrorists seized a local school in Beslan following which 331 people, including 172 children, were killed.
Mr Medvedev then travelled to the dispositions of the 58th Army of the North Caucasus Military District, where he gave awards to 28 Russian servicemen who participated in repulsing the Georgian aggression against South Ossetia in August 2008.
Two doctors – director of the Kabardino-Balkaria Centre for Disaster Medicine and general director of the Federal Medical Biophysics Centre – also received awards.
Later in the day a reception was hosted to honour the award recipients.
The President also talked to the residents of South Ossetia who came to Vladikavkaz.