Monthly Review

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

2022 / 10 / 04

Publication:  N25 / Review period: September 1-30, 2022 /Author: Elene Mindiashvili

Review of the Activities of the Russian Military Forces in Abkhazia and the Tkshinvali 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 war against Ukraine.

** Note: The Russian Federation dispatched a major part of military personnel of the 4th and the 7th military bases to the Donbass 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 at the 7th Military Base

  • Soldiers of anti-aircraft missile units of the 7th military base destroyed over 30 reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles of a conditional enemy using anti-air defense means. During the exercises the military used Russian-made flying vehicles: Orlan, Zastava, and Granat.

Military Exercises of the De Facto Armed Forces of Abkhazia

  • A tank company of the 2nd separate motorized infantry battalion of the de facto Armed Forces of Abkhazia underwent tactical training at the Nagvalou military training ground.

Joint Exercises

  • Representatives of Abkhazia's force agencies together with the military of the Federal Security Service of Russia organized the PORT-2022 anti-terrorist exercise. The training was aimed at exercising in the fight against terrorism and political extremism. During the exercises, participants neutralized a conditional subversive group which took hostages on the territory of a sea port. Armored vehicles, floating vehicles, snipers, divers, ambulance and fire rescue teams were involved in the training.

Russian Military Forces in the Tskhinvali Region

Military Exercises at the 4th Military Base

  •  Soldiers of a radio-electronic warfare unit of the 4th military base suppressed radio frequencies of a subversive enemy using the Borisoglebsk-2 modern complex.

Activity of the De Facto Armed Forces of the Tskhinvali Region

  • On September 1, in Tskhinvali, soldiers of a special purpose battalion of the de facto Armed Forces passed physical standards.
  • Those military personnel who participated in the Tank Biathlon competition of the International Army Games were awarded in the de facto Ministry of Defense.
  • The de facto Minister of Defense, Marat Pavlov, announced a 20% increase in official salary for soldiers of the South Ossetian Armed Forces. According to him, the decision was made during a visit of the de facto President, Alan Gagloyev, to Moscow and will come into force effective October of this year.
  • On September 12, Marat Pavlov paid a working visit to Russia - to the Military Medical Academy, the Military Academy of Communications and the Military University of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Pavlov met with Ossetian cadets and checked their academic performance.

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