Monthly Review

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

2023 / 04 / 03

Publication:  N31 / Review period: March 1-31, 2023 /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, representatives of media and international governmental or non-governmental organizations, as well as other people who are interested in the Kremlin policy 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: A major part of military personnel of the 4th and 7th military bases are dispatched to fight against Ukraine. Therefore, the number of military exercises in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region has been significantly reduced; however, against this backdrop, the Armed Forces of the occupied regions are relatively active and periodically conduct various exercises. Despite the relatively passive activities of Russian servicemen in the occupied regions, we will review the activities of the Armed Forces of the de facto republics.

Abkhazia

Joint Military Exercises

  • The so-called Armed Forces of the de facto republic of Abkhazia, together with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, conducted tactical exercises. The exercises were of a defensive nature and took place in parallel at all military training grounds on the territory of the de facto republic.

Joint exercises

Other Activities

  • The de facto Prime Minister, Alexander Ankvab, signed an order on spring conscription. Compulsory military service will last from April to July this year.
  • The de facto President, Aslan Bzhania, inspected infrastructural condition and the progress of rehabilitation works of institutions under the so-called Ministry of Defense.
  • Bzhania paid a working visit to the occupied Gali district. He checked military personnel’s preparedness for the mobilization as well as  the progress of the so-called border strengthening works with the rest of Georgia..

Tskhinvali region

Military Exercises

  • Soldiers of the special purpose battalion of the so-called Armed Forces of the de facto Tskhinvali region underwent fire training. Tactical exercises were aimed at testing their readiness for martial law.
  • Servicemen of the communication unit practiced installation and use of modern means of communication.

Other Activities

  • The de facto Ministry of Defense signed a cooperation agreement with the International Institute for the Development of Communications MIR-MOST-OSSETIA foundation. The agreement refers to the youth policy and aims at introducing patriotic education methods in the Cadet School under the so-called Ministry.
  • Conscripts into the military reserve get registered in Kvaisa township of the occupied Java district. The registration will continue in other regions as well, after which, as the de facto Ministry of Defense reports, the training will start as per the pre-prepared schedule.

Registration of Conscripts

  • In response to mass actions against the adoption of a law on “foreign agents” in Georgia, the de facto President, Alan Gagloyev, convened a session of the so-called Security Council. At the session, he issued a decree to switch the power structures to intensive operation mode in order to prevent any probable incidents on the territory adjacent to the so-called border area with Georgia.
  • The so-called Defense Minister, Marat Pavlov, awarded military and civilian employees of the de facto Ministry of Defense with medals for “impeccable service.”
  • It’s planned to establish an organization in Tskhinvali which will provide assistance to Ossetian soldiers fighting in Ukraine on the side of the Russian Federation. The de facto Ministry of Defense prepared respective charter on March 4. As the so-called Ministry reports, the organization will digitally record the registered Ossetian fighters participating in the war which will make it easier to take necessary measures in case of their death and missing.

 

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 locates 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.