Abkhaz Leader Has Ordered Army To Sink Any Georgian Ships In Its Waters

24 years ago today, Georgia lost control over Abkhazia.


Georgia commemorates 24th anniversary of fall of Sokhumi

27 Sep 2017


On this day 24 years ago hundreds of thousands of Georgians were forced to leave their homes in Sokhumi, the capital city of Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region.

September 27, 1993 was the day when tens of thousands of people died, hundreds of thousands of people became internally displaced (IDPs) within their own homeland, and Tbilisi lost control over the Abkhazia region in north-western Georgia.

On this day 24 years ago the capital city of Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region collapsed as a result of a war that lasted 13 months and 13 days.

Armed conflict in Abkhazia began on August 14, 1992 when Georgia's Armed Forces, intending to defend the Sochi-Enguri section of the railway, were confronted by Abkhaz Gvardia [armed forces]. The Abkhazian militant group involved Russian soldiers and was created under the order of head of the Supreme Council of Abkhazia, Vladislav Ardzinba, near Okhurei Village in Ochamchire district.

The Abkhaz-Russian forces started their attack on the building of the Council of Ministers of Abkhazia in the morning of September 27, 1993. They captured and killed Chairman Zhiuli Shartava, Sokhumi Mayor Guram Gabeskiria and 27 employees of the Council of Ministers.

On the same day Sokhumi collapsed and the Georgian Armed Forces lost the fight.

Outbreaks of Dangerous Diseases in South Ossetia

South Ossetia accuses Georgia of using biological weapons.


Occupied Ossetia connects diseases to Georgia’s Lugar lab

15 September 2017


The de facto South Ossetian government has expressed concern about the “unusual epidemiological diseases of people and animals in the region” and has linked the diseases to the Lugar Laboratory located on the territory of Georgia, adding that the epidemic outbreaks of dangerous diseases in South Ossetia has become more frequent in recent years.

The Ossetians still demand that Georgia sign a ceasefire juridical agreement with them.

Lugar Lab has been the subject of criticism many times. Skeptics have argued that its goal is to create chemical or biological weapons and spread dangerous viruses or diseases. The government of Georgia has categorically denied the accusations.

The minister of Health, Davit Sergeenko stated some time ago that the Lugar Laboratory has an important role in biosafety, as well as the development of public health and science.

“Georgia is the leader in Eastern Europe in detecting components of threats ... This laboratory gives us great advantage to know the origin of these threats,” he stated.

Richard Lugar Center for Public Health Research is a facility of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC) of Georgia, which became operational in August 2013.

Sukhum/i

Today is "Victory Day" in Abkhazia, celebrated with a large military parade and festivities.


Sukhumi in the spotlight: hope amid the ruins of a pro-Russian breakaway state

29 September 2017


Ongoing hostility from both sides and the severe economic consequences of non-recognition mean that much of Sukhumi, once a jewel in the Soviet crown, remains in ruins. Even the name is controversial – the city is transliterated as Sukhumi or Sokhumi by Georgians (and Guardian Cities, pursuant to our style), but Sukhum to Abkhazians. “Sukhum/i” is often used to maintain neutrality.

1.67m – the number of Russian tourists who have visited Abkhazia in the last reported year.

On 30 September Sukhumi will commemorate Victory Day, when the war with Georgia ended in 1993 and Abkhazia gained de facto independence. There will be a large military parade and festivities along the city’s promenade. With the 25th anniversary due to be celebrated next year, the event will be a test-run for grander celebrations in 2018.

Until reconciliation results in either international recognition for Abkhazia or integration with Georgia – and neither seems likely – Sukhumi will remain in limbo.

Turkey Defence Agreement

Yesterday, Turkey signed a defence deal with Georgia and Azerbaijan.


Turkey signs defense deal with Georgia, Azerbaijan

17.10.2017


Turkish Chief of Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar signed a defense agreement with Georgian and Azerbaijani defense chiefs on Tuesday.

Cachibaia thanked Turkey for extending its support to Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and to the country’s NATO integration process.

Biological Sabotage

Russia has banned imports of fruits, nuts, and vegetables from Abkhazia, including packaged goods. Georgia accused of using biological weapons funded by the US. Georgia has dismissed the claims.


Russia bans agricultural imports from Abkhazia, accuses Georgia of ‘biological sabotage’

30 March 2018


Russia has banned hand-carried imports of fruits and vegetables from Abkhazia since 12 March, according to JAMnews, but the latest announcement means the ban will include packaged goods as well.

In a 30 March interview with Russian state-owned newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Yuliya Melano from Rosselkhoznadzor speculated that Georgia could be behind the stink bug epidemic, ‘within the framework of biological sabotage’.

‘We do not exclude the possibility that today we are talking about the use of a certain biological weapon’, she said, adding that there are ‘a number of American laboratories functioning in Georgia, and it is unknown what they are doing’.

One recent report by a pro-Russian Georgian news site claimed the lab was conducting ‘dangerous laboratory experiments’ on live human subjects. According to Myth Detector, another news outlet claimed without any proof that ‘biological weapons were produced’ in the Lugar lab.

Russia has repeatedly claimed that the lab conducts US-funded research that is ‘extremely dubious and dangerous for the population’.

Organs Missing

Organs were missing from a Georgian man who died of "heart failure" after he allegedly "attacked police" in South Ossetia.


'Organs Missing' From Georgian Man's Body Returned From South Ossetia

April 16, 2018


The internal organs were removed from the body of a Georgian man who died while in the custody of separatist authorities in Georgia's breakaway South Ossetia region, prosecutors have told the family.

The father of Archil Tatunashvili and a lawyer for the family told RFE/RL on April 16 that Georgian prosecutors had told them that the organs were missing from the body, which was sent back to government-held territory last month.

Russia-backed authorities in South Ossetia say 35-year-old Tatunashvili died of heart failure on February 22 after he allegedly attacked police as they tried to move him to a detention cell.

Tatunashvili had been detained over claims that he was plotting terrorist attacks in South Ossetia.

The Empathy rehabilitation center for victims of torture, which took part in the forensic examination of Tatunashvili’s remains, alleges that Tatunashvili was most likely tortured to death. It says his body showed extensive signs of abuse.

Black Lists

Abkhazia has made a black list ("Khishba-Sigua List") in response to a Georgian black list ("Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili List"). South Ossetia has started working on their own black list ("Sanakoev list").


Breakaway Abkhazia Initiates "Black List" in Response to Tbilisi

16 July 2018


The so called Veteran’s Organization of Georgia’s Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia has initiated a “black list” in response to Georgia’s “Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili List”, containing 33 persons convicted or charged with grave crimes committed against the citizens of Georgia in the breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions since the 1990s.

The list set up by the de facto Abkhazian organization, is called the “Khishba-Sigua List”, named after two men who were supposedly “abducted and tortured by Georgian special agencies.”

The list of de facto Abkhaz veterans includes 26 Georgians, among them ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili

Another Russian-occupied region of Georgia, South Ossetia, has also started working on a “Sanakoev list,” which will include “people guilty for the genocide of South Ossetians.”

Irakli Sesiashvili, Chairman of the Parliamentary Defense and Security Committee, stated that so called “Khishba-Sigua List” has no legal force.

Sea targets hit in Abkhazia drills

Russian tanks delivered fire against against a notional enemy’s amphibious assault ships for the first time in Abkhazia drills.


Russian tanks hit sea targets for first time in Abkhazia drills

August 6


"Armored units of the Southern Military District’s Russian military base in Abkhazia have hit a notional enemy’s amphibious assault ships in the coastal area of the Gudauta all-arms training range. Tank guns delivered fire against sea targets for the first time as part of joint tactical drills of an integrated combined arms force, air units and formations of the Black Sea Fleet of the Southern Military District," the press office said.

The drills are being held at the Black Sea coastal training ranges in Abkhazia, Crimea and the southern Krasnodar Region from August 1 to August 15. Overall, the drills involve more than 2,500 servicemen and about 600 items of organic military hardware.