CHRONICLE
OF WESTERN GEORGIA OCCUPATION BY
RUSSIAN ARMY See also:
Russian-Georgian war in Abkhazia --
Restoration
of Legal Authorities in Western Georgia The preparation of Russian troops
for the occupation of Western Georgia has started since the part
of Russian tank regiment located in Transcaucasus (specifically in
the town of Kutaisi, Western Georgia) approached Dafnari village
and appealed to the Georgian National Guard for the permission to
pass through the region towards Vani town in order to transfer
their families from Kutaisi to Batumi. On October 22, the same armed group (without
family members) came back from Vani and breaking through the
defense line near Dafnari continued the way to Samtredia. At the
same time the second part of the tank regiment supported by
Russian aviation and artillery attacked Samtredia and Khoni from
the side of Kutaisi. It is significant that during the whole
military campaign the invaders were bombarding not only the
military positions of National Guard, but the civil areas out of
military zone as well. Thus the National Guard was forced to leave
the territory controlled by them. Two other regiments of Russian
Air Landing Troops were observed participating in military actions
against Georgia at the same time. On October 23, after seizing Samtredia and
Khoni, Russian Troops started the air bombardment of Abasha and
Martvili regions. On October 24 they broke through Abasha and
Martvili defense line. On October
25, Russian troops occupied Senaki, on October 26 - Khobi and
October 28 - Poti. On October
26, the additional forces "Dzerzhinski Division"
were transferred from Russia. On October 27, the National Guard of Georgia
started the counter attack. On
October 28, Khobi was liberated by National Guard, heavy
fights were carried out for Senaki. On October 30, Senaki was also liberated. It became obvious, that the Russian
forces involved in these military operations were not enough to
resist the military offensive of National Guard. Before the
arrival of additional Russian Landing troops -- the occupants
started the heavy air bombardment of Senaki region (National Guard
has shot down 3 Russian military aircrafts SU-27). On November 2, the special
landing group (located in Sevastopol, Ukraine) of Black Sea Navy
was transferred to Poti. Under the official approval of Mr.
Kravchuk, President of Ukraine, following military ships of Black
Sea Navy have been participating in the aggression against the
Republic of Georgia: BDK "N.Olshanski" with
admiral Baltin, Commander of Black Sea Navy on board,
SKR "Pitliviy", SKR "Sderzhanniy", BDK
"Ts.Kunikov", BDK "69", SDK "02",
MTS "Zenitchik", MPK "127", TM
"Sventa", SB "524". The group of ships was
inforced with the Black Sea Marine Infantry battalions -- 1910
OBRMP and 126 DBO. In the possession of Marine Infantry battalions
were 36 military units: 7 tanks "PT 76", 10 armored
carriers (BTR), 3 BRDM, 3 SAU "Nona", 4 SAU "2
S-l", 3 ESU "Shilka", 6 PTUR vehicles (on BRDM
basis) and trucks. Almost 70% of the personnel were the
citizens of Ukraine (who had given the oath of loyalty
of Ukraine), however the commandment - citizens of Russia (who had
given the oath of loyalty to Russia). The same day (November 2) 2 battalions (700 soldiers)
of "Dzerzhinski Division" occupied Chkhorotsku and
Tsalenjiha. On November
3 the Black Sea Marine Landing Troops arrived to Anaklia from
sea. Thus the legal armed forces of the Republic of Georgia were
totally circled. National Guard left Senaki. On November 4 Russian troops broke through
Khobi defense line. On November
6 they occupied Zugdidi without the resistance from the side
of National Guard, which by that time left the town. Thus the total occupation of Georgia
was fulfilled. ______________________ In spite of the statement of Black
Sea Navy commandment, that the "military mission" was
over and the ships would be withdrawn from the region, the
commandant's office of Black Sea Navy and landing group MPK
"127", are still kept in the region. On November 15, BDK
"54" arrived to Poti from Donuvlov. On November 17, SKR
"Sderzhanni" brought admiral Baltin to
Sevastopol. However the
leading group of ships (SDK "82", MTS
"Zenitchik", BDK "Ts. Kunikov", BDK
"N.Olshanski", BDK "67") are located in
Sevastopol area (TM "Sventa" in Feodosia) ready to get
back to the stage of military actions if needed. Since the occupation of western
Georgia by Russian and Ukrainian troops, the armed gangs of
Shevardnadze's junta were given the opportunity to rob, torture
and terrorize the population of the regions, where the legal,
constitutional power of Georgia was maintained. Some facts of brutal execution,
murder and torture: 3
members of National Guard have been buried alive in Khobi. Another
wounded soldier Besik Iorarnishvili was shot in the
hospital in front of the doctors. Kvtitiso Matureli, a
wounded soldier was first placed in the mental asylum, from where
he was taken out by Mkhedrioni and National Democratic Party
members( leader Gia Chanturia) and nobody has heard
anything about him since then. On October 24, during the fights for Khobi the
soldier named Temuri (resident of Sarakoni village,
Chkhototsku region) was captured. Shevardnadze's gangsters cut his
extremities and head. On
October 27, Ezope Sichinava, the doctor, was shot in Khobi,
in his own house. On the same day Vakhtang Nodia, the
painter, was murdered brutally first his right hand and then his
head were cut. On November
7, Tenghiz Bulia the commander of National Guard's division
was captured (Tbilisi TV announced he changed the side
voluntarily) and killed under the horrible torture: first his
fingers were cut and later his heart. In the yard of Inguri paper factory the National
Guard member Zviad Leladze was executed. For 3 days the
body was kept away from parents. As a result of Air bombardment and the shelling of
Samtredia, Abasha, Senaki Martvili the houses are destroyed, there
are the victims among the civil population. Some of the villages,
like Nosiri are completely destroyed. In the towns of Poti, Salntredia, Abasha Senaki,
Khobi, Martvili, Khoni, Chkhorotsku, Tsalendjikha, Zugdidi nearly
every family is robbed. In
Zugdidi 20 houses are completely destroyed, in Darcheli village 15
- are burnt. Under these
circumstances many residents of Megrelia left their robbed houses
in order to save their lives. Nowadays they are refugees on their
own land. Secretary in charge G.Gulbani (Published in:
"Georgia Tuday", 26 May 1994) |
