10:39, 14 August 2017

25th anniversary of war outbreak in Abkhazia

Sukhumi railway station. Photo https://www.fondsk.ru/news/2017/08/14/abhazia-letuchij-zapah-dalekoj-vojny-44489.html

On August 14, 1992, the State Council of Georgia abolished the resolution on the independence of Abkhazia and pronounced the decision to introduce troops into the republic. Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili called the war in Abkhazia a "big mistake."

The hostilities lasted in Abkhazia for more than a year, until late September 1993. More than 8000 people were killed, and about 18,000 others were injured. About 200,000 Georgians almost half of the pre-war population of Abkhazia left their houses. Till present, the issue of their return has not been resolved.

According to Giorgi Kvirikashvili, the confrontation brought "grave consequences for the Abkhaz and Georgian people," stated the Georgian Prime Minister.

"I very much hope that soon the time comes when we will be able to return the hearts of our Abkhaz brothers," said the Prime Minister as quoted by the "Interfax".

"When the war broke out, I was 27 years old, and I quit my studies and came here (to Abkhazia, note of the 'Caucasian Knot'). And thousands of people did the same. There were no route taxis, and a lot of people crossed the mountains on foot," said Gennady Smyr, who was involved in the war on the side of Abkhazia.

According to him, "everyone thought then that they would shoot several times and disperse." However, when heavy military vehicles took part in battles, "people realized that it would take a long time." "We had almost no weapons ... mostly hunting rifles," the RT TV Channel quotes the war participant as saying.

Let us remind you that the Georgia's attitude to the events of 1992-1993 is radically different from their interpretation in Abkhazia. Georgia treats the war as an operation to preserve its territorial integrity.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.