Monthly Review

Review of the Activities of the Russian Military Forces in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region

2022 / 06 / 01

Publication:  N21 / Review period: May 1-31, 2022 /Author: Ani Zirakashvili

A review of the Activities of the Russian Military Forces 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.

*Note: The review does not include information about military personnel of the 4th and the 7th military bases and volunteers from Abkhazia or the Tskhinvali region who are fighting in the Russian-Ukrainian war.

** Note: The Russian Federation dispatched a major part of military personnel of the 4th and 7th military bases to the Donbas region to fight against Ukraine. Therefore, the number of military exercises in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region has been significantly reduced.

Russian Military Forces in Abkhazia

Military Exercises

Units of the 7th military base of the Russian Federation in Abkhazia took part in various military exercises in May:

  • Anti-terrorist units of the 7th military base repulsed an attack of a conventional enemy. As part of the exercise, the saboteurs tried to enter the territory of the military unit, mine it, and blow up military warehouses, however, the soldiers of the base managed to timely spot the adversary. They blocked the “enemy” at the checkpoint and successfully repelled their attack. About 100 servicemen and ten units of combat equipment were involved in the exercise, including BTR-82A armored personnel carriers and Kamaz-5350 Mustang armored vehicles.
  • Units of motorized infantry carried out exercises at the Tsebelda and Nagvalou military training grounds. The military began to study and develop tactical actions as part of highly mobile groups in mountainous conditions. The exercise involved the Air and Air Defence Forces and used Mi-8AMTSH Terminator helicopters.

Anti-Terrorist Units Training in Abkhazia. Source: www.sputnik-abkhazia.info

Other Events

  • May 9 marked the 77th anniversary of Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War. In addition to the de facto Ministry of Defense, military servicemen of the 7th military base also took part in the military parade.

Russian Military Forces in the Tskhinvali Region

Other Events

  • Tankmen of the de facto Ministry of Defense began intensive preparation for the Tank Biathlon competition. As part of the training, the military personnel are to overcome a route full of various obstacles, both individually and as a team. Tank Biathlon is one of the competitions of the 8th International Army Games (АрМИ-2022), which will be held at the Alabino military training ground in Russia.
  • On May 19, Atsamaz Jioev, a 28-year-old Ossetian volunteer fighting for Russia in Ukraine, was buried with military honors in the Java district. Besides representatives of the “parliament” and the “government,” military servicemen of the 4th military base also attended the funeral.
  • The Tskhinvali region also celebrated Victory Day on May 9. About 400 servicemen of the 4th military base took part in the military parade in Tskhinvali where a total of 40 units of combat equipment were presented.

 

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