It started hundreds of years ago. Oil and gas resources from the Caucasus have upped the stakes considerably. Two big personalities, Putin and the President of Georgia are clashing in a major way, along with separatists in Ossetia. Not an easy one to resolve. Putin is determined to puff the chest and not just on fishing trips.
It seems very complicated. I’m still not sure who started this particular conflict (whether it was the Georgians trying to attack the Russian-backed Ossetians or the Russians trying to attack the Georgians). Naturally, each side is blaming the other.
Someone also pointed out an interesting detail, which is that Beslan is in North Ossetia, which is near Chechnya. So it seems as if the area is subject to conflict from a number of sides.