Russian 7th Military Base

The main function of the Russian 7th Military Base placed in Abkhazia is to ensure Abkhazia’s security and uphold Russian interests in South Caucasus. The military base is part of the Russian Federation’s Southern Military District and holds an important role in ensuring Russia’s military-political influence in Caucasus.

The issue of the formation of the 7th Military Base entered the agenda after the 2008 Russia-Georgia August War. The military formation existed in the form of a division from 1918 to 1992, turning into a brigade from 1992 to 2009, while from February 1, 2009, a military base was formed on the basis of the brigade. Over the period of its lengthy existence, the fighters of the base have participated in the Russian Civil War, Second World War as well as military confrontations taking place in North Caucasus after the Cold War. In July 2018, hundred years of the oldest military unit of the Russian armed forces was celebrated in Sokhumi. The de facto President of Abkhazia, Raul Khajimba, also participated in the festivities.

The full name of the base is: 7-я Краснодарская Краснознамённая орденов Жукова, Кутузова и Красной Звезды военная база. Code name is – military unit N09332 (M/U 09332). Short name is 7th MB. According to the existing data, there are up to 4,000 military personnel in the military unit on the territory of Abkhazia. The base has full military equipment.

On February 17, 2010, President of the Russian Federation, Dimitri Medvedev and the de facto President of Abkhazia, Sergei Baghapsh, signed an agreement in Moscow on joint Russian military bases on the territory of Abkhazia. The length of the agreement was set to be 49 years with the possibility of automatic extension. As per the agreement, the objects belonging to the former peacekeeping forces placed in Gudauta district, Bombora military base, military polygon and sea approach near Ochamchire, joint Russian-Abkhazian military garrisons placed at Kodori Gorge and Enguri HPP – entered into the joint military base. Military polygons in Gudauta and Nagvalou are being used for military exercises, together with the one in Molkin, Krasnodar Oblast.

The agreement provides for the development of Russian military infrastructure around the Black Sea coast of South Caucasus. It was supposed to be signed back in 2009; however, this only became possible after Bagapsh became President for the second time. The agreement practically envisages military alliance. According to the assessment of the experts, Baghapsh was calling for this kind of relations, as he did not wish to have independent Russian military bases in Abkhazia. Baghapsh’s demand was that all objects of the 7th military base be included in the infrastructure of Abkhazian military garrisons, which means that he wanted high quality military interactions and joint combat preparation between Russian and Abkhazian militaries. 

Over the years, the 7th military base has been involved in both local as well as regional level military exercises. For example, on October 1, 2018 the military polygons in Abkhazia engaged in the largest scale military exercises in Russia for the past 30 years. According to the statement of the Commander of the Southern Military District, Aleksandr Dvornikov, apart from Russian territory, the exercises were also held in Armenia, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region, perfecting contemporary forms and means of combat, including the ones based on the experience received in Syria.

Commanders of the 7th Russian military base in Abkhazia

• 2007-2009 - Colonel Sergey Chebotarev
• 2011-2015 – Colonel, since 2013 Major General, Yakov Rezantsev
• 2015-2017 – Major General, Mikhail Kosobokov
• 2017-2019 – Colonel, Igor Egorov
• 2019-till present – Colonel Oleg Senkov