Actions in memory of the victims of Georgian-Abkhazian conflict of 1992-1993 going on in Georgia and Abkhazia

Mass actions in memory of the victims of Georgian-Abkhazian conflict that started 20 years ago are going on in Georgia and Abkhazia today. On the occasion of the 20^th anniversary of the beginning of Georgian-Abkhazian war members of the Unit of Abkhazian volunteers started from Kabardino-Balkaria for Sukhumi.

On August, 14, 1992, Georgian troops entered the territory of Abkhazia. According to official Tbilisi’s version, they were brought to safeguard Psou-Ingur section of the railway. The Supreme Council of Abkhazia estimated the actions of State Council of Georgia as a “predesigned occupation of a sovereign” country. The armed confrontation developed into a war that lasted 413 days and ended in a defeat of the Georgian troops on September, 30, 1993.

A mass movement in support of the Abkhazian people started in the republics of Northern Caucasus after the beginning of the confrontation. Volunteers from all the republics of Northern Caucasus, the Kuban and Don Cossacks, natives of other regions of the former Soviet Union, including over one hundred residents of Kabardino-Balkaria 64 out of whom perished in the territory of Abkhazia, took the Abkhazian side in the battles.

On August, 14, Day of memory of defenders of Fatherland is celebrated in Abkhazia where the confrontation of 1992-1993 is considered a Patriotic war. On this day residents of the towns and districts of the republic lay flowers at the graves of those who perished in the armed conflict.

The memory day will end with a torch-light procession from Makhajir embankment to Slava (Glory) memorial in the center of Sukhumi where the remains of warriors who perished in the war of 1992-1993 are buried, ITAR-TASS reports.

On August, 13, a group of 35 members of the Council of Abkhazian Volunteers (CAV) who will take part in the actions devoted to the 20^th anniversary of the beginning of Georgian-Abkhazian war started from Kabardino-Balkaria to Abkhazia, member of the Board of CAV Anzor Shorov reported.

“In the morning of August, 14, these people will start by helicopters for the pass of the Main Caucasian Mountain ridge the volunteers crossed on their way to Abkhazia. A memorial plaque and flags of Adygea, Ossetia and Chechnya will be set there”, Anzor Shorov said to the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.

Victims of the conflict are memorized in Georgia, too. This morning Deputy Chairman of the Georgian Parliament Paata Davitaia, members of political association the “European Democrats” and members of the Government-in-exile of Abkhazian Autonomous Republic visited the memorial to the soldiers who perished in the struggle for territorial integrity in Tbilisi. Since morning the victims’ family and friends have been gathering near the memorial, bringing flowers and lighting candles in memory of those lost, “Novosti-Georgia” media agency reports.