Russian intervention in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict: A history of tensions and turmoil

Abstract

The Georgian-Abkhazian conflict, which began in the early 1990s, has been marked by the tensions and violence between the government of Georgia and the breakaway region of Abkhazia. This paper takes Georgian-Abkhazian relationships as a case study to probe the devastating political, economic, and military involvement of Russia, which has had a hand in inciting these conflicts by supporting the Abkhazian separatists, making false claims about the attitude of the central government of Georgia towards the Abkhazian language and ethnicity. The presented article provides a historical analysis of several debatable questions related to the so-called historical independence of Abkhazia, the influence of the Russian Empire, Soviet Union, and the role of the Russian Federation in the relations of the two ethnicities, and the most paramount point—how Russia manipulated Abkhaz actors and fueled the ignition of the conflict.

Keywords:

• Interethnic relations
• Georgia
• Abkhazia
• Russian occupation
• War

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. It is noteworthy that Cooley and Mitchell somehow managed to have factual mistakes in their article. The most important mistake is the claim that Georgia attacked South Ossetia 6^th of August, 2008. When it is proven fact that Russian militaries started attacks by 7^th of August and Georgian government responded to these aggressive actions.

2. Treaty of Paris. Paris: “Their Majesties the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Emperor of the French, the Emperor of All the Russia, the King of Sardinia, and the Sultan, grant a full and entire Amnesty to those of their subjects who may have been compromised by any participation whatsoever in the events of the War in favor of the cause of the enemy.“

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Shalva Kikalishvili

Shalva Kikalishvili is an Assistant Professor in the Liberal Arts Department at The American University of the Middle East in Kuwait. He obtained his doctoral degree from Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University in 2015. Shalva’s research focuses on militarism and political development, historical events, education, and innovations. His doctoral thesis was on the policy of the United States of America in Iraq after the Second Gulf War. His academic publications include: “Participation of Georgian Military Forces in International Iraq Peace Building Operation (2003-2008),” “Paul Bremer and the U.S. Policy towards Iraq in 2003-2004,” “President George Walker Bush and the Second Gulf War,” “The Origins of the Second Gulf War,” and “Origins of the Informational Warfare.”