Publication: N26 / Review period: October 1-31, 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 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 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
- As part of exercises at the Tsebelda military training ground, servicemen of communication units of the 7th military base organized high-frequency digital communication using Redut mobile communication system.
Exercises of the De Facto Armed Forces of Abkhazia
- At the Nagvalou military training ground, reserve servicemen of the 1st and 2nd rifle brigades of the de facto Armed Forces, together with reserve soldiers of the Vostok operational direction, underwent command and staff mobilization exercises.
- Reserve servicemen of the 1st regiment of Tkvarcheli and cadets of the Higher Armed Command School of Sokhumi carried out exercises at the Tsebelda military training ground. Together with artillery units and the Air Force, they repulsed a simulated opponent. The mentioned exercise was also observed by the de facto President, Aslan Bzhania.
Other Activities
- On October 19, the de facto government signed a decree on the start of annual military conscription.
Cooperation Between Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region
- A meeting between the de facto Defense Ministers of the occupied regions of Georgia (Tskhinvali region and Abkhazia), Marat Pavlov and Vladimir Anua, was held in Sokhumi. The meeting discussed regional security issues and action strategies in the field of bilateral military cooperation. During the visit, Marat Pavlov also met with Aslan Bzhania and the de facto Secretary of the Security Council of Abkhazia, Sergey Shamba.
Russian Military Forces in the Tskhinvali Region
Military Cooperation Between the Tskhinvali Region and Russia
- The de facto President Alan Gagloyev met with representatives of the military-industrial complex of the Russian Federation and discussed the prospects of improving the command and control of the Armed Forces of the region through the development of information technology, which, according to Gagloyev, is necessary and timely considering the geopolitical situation.

Exercises of the De Facto Armed Forces of the Tskhinvali Region
- On October 3, planned classes started at the military training ground of the de facto Ministry of Defense to train servicemen both individually and as a group using firearms and armored vehicles.
- Communication specialists of the de facto Ministry of Defense took part in exercises. The military personnel exercised how to organize communication at radio stations in field conditions.
- Military topography specialists of the special purpose battalion of the de facto Ministry of Defense, together with the personnel carried out exercises as part of which the military improved their skills of working on topographical maps using theoretical and practical methods.
- A battalion of the Special Forces of the de facto Ministry of Defense underwent field training. The purpose of the training, which took place in mountainous and forested terrain in conditions of poor visibility, was to improve the skills of individual and group camouflaged movement.
- Servicemen of motorized infantry battalion of the de facto Ministry of Defense completed the standards in military medical and tactical training.
- Soldiers of special purpose battalion of the de facto Ministry of Defense completed the norms of physical training as part of which was assessed both the physical fitness of the military personnel and their knowledge of documents related to the military sphere.
Other Activities
- The Federation of the Union of Cossacks of Russia awarded combat veterans of the peacekeeping contingent of the so-called Armed Forces of the Tskhinvali region with medals for Military Valor.
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.