Publication:  N4 / Review period: December 1-31, 2020 /Author: Ani Zirakashvili

Review of the Russian Military Forces’ Activities 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 and 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

Military exercises

• Military servicemen exercised in elimination of illegal armed formations. As part of the exercise, servicemen used KamAZ-5350 Mustang vehicles and BTR-82AM armored personnel carriers.

Military-political cooperation

• In an interview with the international news channel Russia Today, the de facto President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, noted that Abkhazia would strengthen military-technical cooperation with the Russian Federation.

Conscripts

• The beginning of a new academic year was celebrated at the 7th military base. As part of the event, commanders of the 7th military base congratulated the base servicemen and wished them professional success.

Beginning of a new academic year. Source:  The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

• Psychologists of the 7th military base tested more than 300 recruits of the fall 2020 call-up using modern methods of psychological tests, interviews, direct observation and analysis. Through the tests the psychologists determined the level of recruits’ social-psychological preparedness. Initial data was processed using the АРМ ВП special technical device.
• More than 500 recruits are involved in an intensive individual training course.  The course is the first stage of the training and will last from one to two months. During this period, recruits will develop and improve their military skills. The course comprises more than 200 tasks and a final test.
• On December 8, conscripts took the military oath. More than 100 military servicemen participated in the solemn event.

Plans for 2021

• Military cooperation with the Russian Federation: Up to 300 joint military exercises are planned in 2021.  As the Commander of the Southern Military District, Aleksandr Dvornikov, noted the number of joint military exercises between Russia-Abkhazia in 2021 will increase by 20%.
• Improvement of military infrastructure: Military training grounds are being prepared for firing from modernized T-72B3 tanks.
• Participation in the International Military Exercises: Military servicemen will participate in the 7th International Army Games (Army-2021) and various competitions such as the Tactical Shooter, the Meridian, the Army of Culture, etc.
• Selection of participants for the Masters of Artillery Fire competition has started. The competition will be held within the framework of the 7th International Army Games (Army-2021). A qualifying stage of the competition will be held at the Nagvalou military training ground. Military servicemen will take part in various competitions during a month, and at the end, servicemen with the best results will be identified.

Tankmen preparing for the International Army Games (Army-2021).  Source:  The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

Training infrastructure

• Military servicemen exercised at a new shooting range. The shooting range is equipped with modern radio-controlled portable devices and its infrastructure is designed for military exercises in combat shooting.

Other events

• Military servicemen wrote a dictation on the Day of the Unknown Soldier. The dictation comprised 30 questions related to the Great Patriotic War and post-war period. In total, more than 500 military servicemen, their family members and representatives of the Yunarmiya participated in the event.

Russian Military Forces in the Tskhinvali Region

Military exercises

• As part of exercise, grenade launchers destroyed tanks of a conditional enemy. During the exercise servicemen used RPG-7B and AGS-17 grenade launchers, as well as BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles and UAVs. A total of 400 servicemen participated and more than 50 units of combat equipment were involved in the exercise.
• Snipers completed a special course of countering artillery spotters. The course was held at the Dzartsemi military training ground and involved more than 60 snipers of the 4th military base.
• Motorized infantry unit completed field exercises and returned to its permanent deployment. The field exercises were held at the Dzartsemi military training ground and involved more than 1,500 servicemen and up to 70 combat vehicles.

Military-political cooperation

• The de facto President, Anatoly Bibilov, emphasized the importance of the military cooperation with Russia in order to strengthen defensive capabilities of the Tskhinvali region, and noted that the Russian 4th military base and the Border Division of the Federal Security Service would ensure security in the region.

Conscript

• On December 27, conscripts of the 4th military base took the military oath. More than 50 young servicemen participated in the event. Before taking the military oath, the conscripts underwent special training course to master their combat skills.

Plans for 2021

• The Tskhinvali region (as well as Abkhazia) will take part in the 2021 International Military Exercises. Commanders of the Southern Military District will agree on the specific time and location of the planned military exercises during bilateral conferences.
• Tankmen have already started preparations for the 7th International Army Games (Army-2021). At this stage they are involved in the Tank Biathlon competition which is the qualifying stage of the Army 2021 and is being held in Abkhazia as well.

Joint exercises

• An artillery unit of the 4th military base and units of the de facto armed forces of the Tskhinvali region exercised in combat shooting. The military exercise comprised up to 50 tasks and involved more than 800 military personnel and up to 70 units of combat equipment.

Fight against COVID-19

• RCB (radiation, chemical, biological) protection specialists disinfected a building of police department,  educational and medical institutions in the Akhalgori district. Disinfection works were also carried out in the building of the de facto Ministry of Internal Affairs.
• Doctors of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation performed PCR and antibody tests to the staff of the de facto Ministry of Justice of the Tskhinvali region.
• On December 8, RCB (radiation, chemical, biological) protection specialists completed disinfection work in the Tskhinvali region. In total, 25 military servicemen and nine units of special equipment were involved in the mentioned activity. The Commander of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation, Aleksandr Dvornikov, summarized the results of their work.
• On December 17, a multidisciplinary mobile hospital which was deployed in Tskhinvali in late October completed its work. The de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Anatoly Bibilov, awarded military medics with letters of gratitude, honorary diplomas, commemorative coins and medals. The event was also attended by the Russian "ambassador" to the Tskhinvali region, Marat Kulakhmetov.

Anatoly Bibilov awards military medics of the field hospital with honorary medals. Source: Sputnik South Ossetia

Other events

• On December 9, military servicemen of the 4th military base laid wreaths at the memorial of Heroes. The Day of Heroes of the Fatherland has been celebrated in Russia since 2007.

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.