Publication:  N13 / Review period: September 1-30, 2021 /Author: Ani Zirakashvili

Review of the Russian Military Forces’ Activities in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region is being prepared within the framework of the project - Roadmap to the Kremlin's Policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region. The purpose of the publication is to review trainings of the military forces of the Russian Federation deployed in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region, as well as other important events related to the Russian 7th and 4th military bases in these regions. The review is a monthly publication and will be useful for everyone – decision-makers, public employees, media representatives and other people who are interested in the activities of the Russian military forces in the occupied regions of Georgia.

Russian Military Forces in Abkhazia

Fight Against COVID-19

• A multi-disciplinary mobile hospital sent by the Russian Ministry of Defense continues to treat patients infected with the coronavirus. As of September 24, the field hospital discharged 146 people from the outpatient clinic and provided consultancy to about 700 people. Up to 1,500 different clinical studies and over a thousand PCR tests were performed at the hospital. According to the latest data, 27,775 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection were reported in Abkhazia.

Other Events

• On September 30, Sokhumi marked the 28th anniversary of the Victory and Independence of the Republic of Abkhazia. A military parade was held with the participation of over 500 people, including units of the Ministry of Defense and military personnel of Russia's 7th military base.

Russian Military Forces in the Tskhinvali Region

Units of the 4th military base of the Russian Federation in the Tskhinvali Region took part in various military exercises in September:

• Tankmen of the 4th military base carried out exercises. About 30 units of the T-72B3 tanks completed shooting from standard weapons and destroyed moving targets at a distance of 300 to 2000 meters. Mechanic-drivers and battalion tactical groups participated in the exercise.
• Tankmen carried out exercises at the Dzartsemi military training ground. They determined coordinates of a conventional enemy using the unmanned aerial vehicles and eliminated the “enemy.” The exercise involved about 700 military servicemen and over 80 units of combat equipment.
• Servicemen repulsed an airborne attack of a conditional enemy at the Dzartsemi military training ground. During the exercise, military personnel used unmanned aerial vehicles and a tank sniper.

Tank Sniper is being Used during an Exercise at the Dzartsemi Military Training Ground. Source:  Web-page of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

• Military personnel of different subunits of the 4th military base destroyed a conventional enemy tanks by means of salvo fire. In total, more than 30 targets located at a distance of 4 thousand meters were destroyed. The exercise was held at the Dzartsemi military training ground and involved about 1,500 military personnel and more than 200 units of weapons and ammunition.
• As part of exercises, military doctors searched for the conditionally wounded and evacuated them. The exercise was held at the Tarskoy military ground and involved up to 1500 military servicemen and over 200 units of weapons and military equipment.
• The Ka-52 Alligator helicopters were used for the first time at the 4th military base, with the help of which the air force supported a motorized infantry subunit and ensured their safe transfer to the rear of a conventional enemy. Tactical breakthrough groups, counter-sniper groups, and scattered combat equipment were used for the first time in the exercise.
• Unmanned aerial vehicles of a conditional enemy were destroyed at the Dzartsemi military training ground. Up to a thousand soldiers and up to 200 units of armaments were involved in the exercise.
• RCB (radiation, chemical, biological) protection specialists provided disguise for the deployment of battalion tactical groups, for which they used the TDA-2K vehicles and created a smoke effect.
• As part of exercises, anti-tank mobile groups were used for the first time to suppress radio signals of a conditional enemy and destroy their armored equipment. The exercise involved unmanned aerial vehicles, the Tor-M1 combat vehicles, etc.

Joint Exercises

• A battalion tactical group of the Russian 58th Combined Arms Army together with military servicemen of the “Armed Forces” of the region carried out joint exercises, as part of which they repulsed an airborne attack of a conditional enemy. The exercise involved up to 1200 military servicemen and over 200 units of combat equipment.
• On September 20-24, large-scale military exercises were held at the Dzartsemi military training ground. The exercise was part of a large-scale bilateral battalion tactical exercise which took place in Russia (Volgograd Oblast, Karachay-Cherkessia, and Chechnya).
• Military servicemen of the 4th military base and operative groups of the Ministry of Defense of the Tskhinvali region repulsed an attack of a conditional enemy. According to the de facto Chief of the General Staff, Viktor Fedorov, soldiers demonstrated high level of preparedness during the exercise.

Other Events

• Military personnel of the 4th military base and their families (a total of 700 people) participated in the early voting of the Russian State Duma elections. Voting started on September 3 and ended on September 16. It was held in several stages.
• On September 20, on the Republic Day of South Ossetia, a military parade was held in the region. Military servicemen of the 4th military base also took part in the parade. The event involved a total of 150 soldiers and 20 units of equipment. At the end of the solemn event a military orchestra of the base gave a concert.

Military Parade dedicated to the Republic Day of South Ossetia. Source: Web-page of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

After the August 2008 war, Russian occupation forces were deployed in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region. In 2010, Russia signed agreements with the de facto republics of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region on the deployment of combined Russian military bases on the territories of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region for the next 49 years. The Russian 7th military base is located on the territory of Abkhazia, and the Russian 4th military base - in the Tskhinvali Region. Both regions are part of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation.