Russia – Georgia conflict

Abkhazia and South Ossetia are two partially recognized breakaway republics in North Caucasus, claiming independence from Georgia. The only military force present in the 2 regions is the Russian military, making them Russian-occupied territories.

The 2 provinces are recognized by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Tuvalu. Georgia and all other nations do not recognize their independence and officially consider them sovereign territory of the Georgian state.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 (which controlled both North and South Caucasus),  Georgia – together with Armenia and Azerbaijan – declared independence from Russia.

CNN detailed report on the Russia – Georgia issue How Russia prepared and executed ethnic cleansing of Georgians

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SOUTH OSSETIA

South Ossetians, backed by Russian military, fought to separate from Georgia in the 1991-1992 South Ossetian war. The war ended with a Russian-brokered ceasefire on 24 June 1992, which established a joint peacekeeping force with Russian, Georgian and South-Ossetian military presence in the area.  Russia officially recognized South Ossetia’s independence from Georgia, despite international accusations of violations of Georgia’s territory integrity.

The 2008 South Ossetian war erupted following unclear reports of clashes between Russian and Georgian peacekeeping forces. As a result, Georgian peacekeeping forces were eventually pushed out of South Ossetia, the joint peacekeeping forces of Russia, Georgia and South-Ossetia were disintegrated and South Ossetia remained under complete Russian defacto control.

During the conflict, Russian forces had also entered Georgian territory occupying 3 cities, and bombarded the city of Gori (situated outside South Ossetian territory); under international pressure and criticism, they pulled back to South Ossetia.

Russian tanks move through Tskhinvali, capital of South Ossetia

Georgian troops

Georgian troops arrested in South Ossetia

Gori, city in Georgia (outside South Ossetian region) bombarded by Russian jets

Read the story below this picture HERE

Gori, city in Georgia (outside South Ossetian region) bombarded by Russian jets

 

Gori, city in Georgia, bombarded by Russian jets

Gori, city in Georgia, bombarded by Russian jets

South Ossetian soldier holds pictures of his family in Tskhinvali bombed apartment

Georgian soldiers throw earth on a mass grave for unknown Georgian soldiers killed in South Ossetia in 2008

South Ossetia doctor stands next to a wounded man in the basement of a destroyed hospital in Tskhinvali

Victim coffins laying in a room, awaiting funeral

The following video shows an example of Russian media manipulation using footage and pictures of the Gori attack by Russian airforces (the erroneous info was later used by a major German news channel as well).

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ABKHAZIA

 

In 1989, Abkhazia had a population of 525.000. people – with 48% Georgians, 17% Abkhazians and other minorities (Russians, Armenians, Greeks).

In 1991, Abkhazians, backed by Russian military forces, fought to separate Abkhazia from Georgia in the 1991-1994 war – when up to 15.000 Georgians were “ethnically cleansed” and 200.000-250.000 were displaced.  Armenians, Greeks, Russians and moderate Abkhaz were also killed. Along Russian troops, there were also thousands of volunteer paramilitaries, mainly Chechens and Cossacks from the militarized Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus, among whom were highly publicized figures such as Ruslan Gelayev and Shamil Basayev.

The ethnic cleansing and massacre of Georgians has been officially recognized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

In 1994, an internationally recognized Moscow Agreement was signed to agree on cease fire, and on the creation of a security zone with international peacekeeping forces, using the assistance of the United Nations.

After the 2008 South Ossetian war, the 1994 cease fire agreement was annulled, and the United Nations  and CIS missions in the region were terminated. In 2008, Georgia passed a resolution declaring Abkhazia a Russian-occupied territory.

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After the end of the conflict, Russia started developing road construction projects to connect Russia’s North Caucasus republics to Abkhazia. Further plans to include Abkhazia in the Russian tourism circuit are being developed.

Medvedev called the project road Cherkessk-Sukhumi promising

 

Recently, Russia – the allegedly neutral part in this conflict, started demanding parts of the Abkhazian territory Russo-Abkhazian border dispute

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Map of conflict

Russian tanks move in through Kodori valley

Kamani “ghost village” – emptied of its population through the massacre which took place on July 9th 1993

Sukhumi massacre

Sukhumi massacre

Footage showing displaced ethnic Georgians fleeing the war ; they walked  by foot all the way to the Georgian border, as ships and planes came under hostile fire.
Many died on the way to the border due to lack of food, medical care and transportation.

Exodus of Georgian civilians, who traveled by foot hundreds of miles. Many died on the way to the Georgian border

Militiaman on patrol

 

Burial in Atara Armianskoije