Military of Abkhazia

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The Abkhazian Armed Forces is the military of the de facto independent, but internationally unrecognized, republic of Abkhazia which is de jure autonomous republic of Georgia.

The basis of the de facto Abkhazian armed forces was the ethnic Abkhaz National Guard formed early in 1992 prior to the outbreak of hostilities between the Georgian government forces and the Abkhaz secessionists. During the war, the Abkhaz forces with the critical support from the Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus, Cossack volunteers and the Russian regular military units stationed in or near Abkhazia, succeeded in ousting the Georgian troops and ethnic Georgian population from the region. Most of the weapons come from the Russian airborne division base in Gudauta, others were captured from Georgian forces.

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[edit] Current situation

Georgia regards the Abkhaz armed forces as "unlawful military formations" and accuses Russia of supplying and training the Abkhaz troops, partly in exchange for Abkhaz land or hotels. The Abkhaz deny this, saying they bought what they have on the free market except for five sea cutters received from Russia and speedboats from the Abkhaz diaspora in Greece.[1] In March 2005, Abkhaz defense minister Sultan Sosnaliev admitted that the senior and middle-ranking officers in the Abkhaz army are regularly sent to Russia for 2-3 month training courses within the framework of the Russia's "Vystrel" (Shot) program.[2]

The recently (May 8, 2007) resigned de facto defence minister and a major contributor to the formation of Abkhazia's military,[3] Sultan Sosnaliev, is a Russian officer from the Kabardino-Balkaria Republic (Russian Federation) and held the same post during the Abkhazian war, with the Chechen field commander and terrorist Shamil Basayev acting as his deputy. Similarly, the chief of staff, Major General Anatoly Zaitsev, is the former deputy commander of the Transbaikal Military District (now part of the Siberian Military District) in Russia. Another top official, de facto deputy Defense Minister Aleksandr Pavlushko is a Russian colonel and the former chief of staff of the Russian peacekeeping forces in Abkhazia.[4] Georgia also regularly accuses Abkhazia of forcibly recruiting Georgian returnees from the Gali district into the armed forces.[1]

The Abkhaz military is primarily a ground force but includes small sea and air units. In 2006, an "anti-terrorist centre" of some 200 personnel was created under the de facto ministry of interior. The de facto minister of finance estimated, in 2006, that 35 per cent of Abkhazia’s budget was spent on the military and police.[1]

[edit] Land forces

The Abkhaz recruitment poster reads in the Russian language: "YOU are needed in the Spetznaz"
The Abkhaz recruitment poster reads in the Russian language: "YOU are needed in the Spetznaz"

According to the de facto authorities in Sukhumi, the Abkhazian Land Forces are organised along the Swiss model - in time of peace they have personnel of 3,000 to 5,000 and in case of war further 45,000[5] (18,000 or 25,000 according to some sources) reservists are called out. They are authorised to keep registered weapons at home.

The exact number and equipment remain unverifiable as no thorough international monitoring has ever been carried out in Abkhazia.

[edit] Equipment

  • 2A18/D-30 122mm howitzers; D-44 guns - about 80
  • 120mm and 82mm mortars - 42

[edit] Navy

Abkhazian Navy consists of three divisions that are based in Sukhumi, Ochamchire and Pitsunda. As of 2005 the first two of them had one PSKA "Grif" speed-boats each. Navy also includes several civil vessels that were equipped with guns and unguided rocket artillery systems.

[edit] Air force

Main article: Abkhazian Air Force

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c Abkhazia Today. The International Crisis Group Europe Report N°176, 15 September 2006. Retrieved on May 27, 2007. Free registration needed to view full report
  2. ^ Abkhaz Defense Minister: Our Officers are Trained in Russia. Civil Georgia, Tbilisi. March 25, 2005. Retrieved on May 27, 2007.
  3. ^ News. The President of Abkhazia website. Retrieved on May 27, 2007.
  4. ^ Vladimir Socor Russia doubling its troops in Georgia's Abkhazia region, Eurasia Daily Monitor. Volume 5, Number 85. May 5, 2008.
  5. ^ 45,000 according to the Problems of the unrecognised states in the former USSR: South Caucasus by David Petrosyan; 40,000-50,000 according to the Caucasian-style militarism article of the Nezavisimaya Gazeta

[edit] References

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