Ryan Grist is a former British Army Captain who served as Acting Head of Mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Georgia during the breakout of the 2008 South Ossetia war. Grist, who holds a PhD in International Conflict Analysis, came to public attention shortly after the war, when he placed some of the blame for the conflict on the Georgian side. He has maintained that the Georgian authorities at the highest level were in part responsible for the outbreak of widespread fighting. However, he has also said that his comments had been over-interpreted and that "I have never said there was no provocation by the South Ossetians."[1]
In an interview, Grist admitted to crossing to the Russian-controlled side during the conflict without authorization, which ultimately cost him his OSCE job. During his unauthorized trip in South Ossetia, Grist met with OSCE local staff based in the area, and the de facto authorities. He remained in communication with several embassies based in Tbilisi, including the French Embassy. At that time the French authorities were attempting to negotiate a ceasefire. He met with a friend named Lira Tskhovrebova.[1] In December 2008, an investigation by the Associated Press alleged that Grist's "friend" Lira Tskhovrebova was not an independent activist as she claimed, but rather an associate of the South Ossetian KGB and by extension, the Russian intelligence services.[2][3] Grist denies being a Russian spy.