MOSCOW, December 12 (RIA Novosti) - The South Ossetian leader has said that the two main streets in the republic's capital of Tskhinvali are to be renamed in honor of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The Kavkaz Uzel website wrote on Friday that Eduard Kokoity planned to rename the capital's main street, currently Stalin Street, as Dmitry Medvedev Street, and another street as Vladimir Putin Street.

In 2005, a number of organizations in South Ossetia appealed to the republic's parliament to rename Stalin Street, saying it symbolized "the crimes of Stalinism."

Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war over South Ossetia in August that began when Georgian forces launched an attack on the capital of the rebel region. Two weeks after the end of Russia's military operation to "force Georgia to peace," Moscow recognized South Ossetia, along with Abkhazia, another breakaway republic, as independent states. So far, only Nicaragua has followed suit.

Commenting on the renaming of the streets, Kokoity told the Rossiiskaya Gazeta government daily that, "this is a symbol of our belief in Russia."

"We can be independent and at the same time loyal to Russia. I do not see any contradictions," he added.

A central street in Chechnya's capital of Grozny was renamed in honor of Putin on October 5, 2008.