Is Abkhazia rebelling against Russia?

300,000 Georgian refugees still waiting to be united with their homeland. let's have a real dialogue without Russia or west. Brothers for centuries ripped apart by colonial interests of Big neighbors from North to South

As always Illuminating. However, Abkhazia was never really in a "tight" Soviet orbit. It has been part of Georgia and so it isn't a covalent bond...actually it's a pretty weak bond and it's little surprise that Abkhazia is spinning off. If we measure Putin's "loss of control" in every small lost, then yes, he is in dire straights. I suggest that while this isn't the best news for Putin neither is it catastrophic. This is a pinprick compared to the sword thrust Ukraine is going to be.

Well, your analyses are very good, academically. However, talking to people on the ground adds a much more clarity to issues like Abkhazia. I know it sort of falls within the boundaries of journalism yet at least featuring references from academics working on the ground will do loads more justice. Apparently such tensions, every now and then, are just part of the natural flow of relationships of territories and countries in the Caucasus. Specifically, re Abkhazia, when I asked my own contacts (friends, or those close to some Abkhaz officials etc) highlight that despite these occasional ups and downs the Abkhaz-Russian relationships feature mutual indispensibility hence Russia will not lse Abkhazia.

Politics aside, Abkhazia has a beatiful flag

Funny how Nauru accepted the independence of Abkhazia and even has, technically, an Abkhaz embassy in its tiny territory. That Pacific island-nation has been desperately looking for financial support in the last two decades, it voted for the independence of Abkhazia (which they certainly could not have spotted in a world map at that time) just to receive Russian money. Russia even sponsored a trip of a Nauruan delegation to the Caucasian mountains, which was as funny as it was pointless

12/14/2024: MAY THE BRAVE GEORGIAN PEOPLE RESTORE THEIR DEMOCRACY AFTER THE RECENT STOLEN ELECTION BY A RUSSIAN BACKED CANDIDATE AND POLITICAL PARTY. LET US PRAY THAT GEORGIA DOES NOT BECOME ANOTHER DICTATORSHIP LIKE SYRIA OR VENEZUELA BRINGING TYRANNY AND OPPRESSION TO THE PEOPLE.

FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY FOR THE PEOPLE OF SYRIA NOW THAT ASSAD'S MURDEROUS REGIME SUPPORTED BY RUSSIA, IRAN AND HEZBOLLAH WILL BE REMOVED! THE BRAVE SYRIAN PEOPLE PROVE THAT THE DREAM OF LIBERTY CAN NOT BE EXTINGUISHED BY EVEN THE MOST BRUTAL TACTICS OF A DICTATOR AND HIS AXIS ALLIES RUSSIA,IRAN AND THEIR PROXIES (ESPECIALLY HEZBOLLAH)


Prior to Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea, Putin had already learned in his support of Syria’s Assad and the use of chemical weapons in Syria (during President Obama’s term in office) that red lines could be crossed without consequence. Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah supported the butcher Assad in Syria resulting in 613,000 Syrian deaths, Assad remained in power stealing from the Syrian people, and the Russians were rewarded with both a naval base and an air force base for Russia on Syrian soil.. With the AXIS allied Assad, Iran had a base for its own military and its proxies (Hezbollah and others) to spread terror and violence throughout the Middle East. Assad became another allied corrupt dictator supported by, and allied with the AXIS(Russian, Iran, China and North Korea).
The rapid advance of rebel forces in December 2024, has finally led to the collapse of the Assad regime after a bloody 54 years of autocratic rule. Syria will now have the chance to create a new future without Assad's cruel oppression which was supported by Russia, Iran and Hezbollah.

Now is the time for western democracies to assist the Syrian people in creating the institutions that support a durable democracy, the rule of law, respect for minority rights, religious tolerance, and equal rights for women. Syrians must not let Shariah Law strangle freedom and democracy. Initially, the world must help Syria address a horrendous humanitarian crises, and then we must begin the long process of developing the democratic institutions and physical infrastructure that will support sustainable economic development so that the Syrian people will enjoy prosperity, freedom, and peaceful coexistence within their beautiful country and with their neighbors.

THE UN AND THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC) SHOULD IMMEDIATELY BEGIN INVESTIGATING AND PROSECUTING THOSE WHO HAVE COMMITTED WAR CRIMES, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, AND GENOCIDE DURING THE ASSAD FAMILY DICTATORSHIP IN SYRIA INCLUDING THOSE COMMITTED BY RUSSIA, IRAN, AND HEZBOLLAH. THE SYRIAN PEOPLE DESERVE JUSTICE, AND THE WORLD HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE UNWAVERING JUSTICE UNIMPEDED BY THOSE WITH POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND MILITARY POWER!

THE CORRUPT DICTATOR ASSAD STOLE BILLIONS FROM THE SYRIAN PEOPLE AS THEY STRUGGLED IN POVERTY AND UNDER BRUTAL OPPRESSION. THIS "BLOOD" MONEY MUST BE RETURNED TO THE SYRIAN PEOPLE FOR THE RESTORATION OF THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE, AND FOR SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THE UN SHOULD PARTNER WITH SYRIA TO REPATRIATE THESE STOLEN FUNDS TO SYRIA!!

Finally, Syrians must never forget that the AXIS powers and their proxies (especially Hezbollah) oppressed the Syrian people for decades by supporting their allied corrupt dictator Assad. Russia must surrender to Syria its naval base and its air force base after inflicting immense suffering on the Syrian people by destroying the country's infrastructure, committing war crimes(including the use of chemical weapons and the targeting of hospitals and schools), and acts of genocide, torture, incarceration, and murder.
Russia, Hezbollah and Iran can no longer have a political, military or economic presence in Syria, or they will certainly bring back war and conflict. David A. Mangs Ph.D.

I hope Georgia is united soon once again.

Excellent summary

If Abchasia und Ossettia have a legitimate claim to statehood, why is the West so against them? Denouncing them and Russsia.

Russia couldn't give a damn about this territory, as far as Georgia doesn't try to retake control of the territory and the US and NATO troups will stay far away from this strategic area

If you sleep with dogs, you'll wake up with fleas.

Hello Professor: I just "discovered" your channel and as a follower of international geopolitics I find your videos very interesting, non biased and factual. Rest assured that you just add a new follower to your channel. I am looking forward to your opinion about what affects our daily living even when most of the people don't realize. Best regards.

Who would want to be a vassal to Russia? What exactly does one gain from such an arrangement? Being a vassal to Russia leads to a ruined economy. Just look at Iran, Cuba and Venezuela. Being a vassal to Russia also provides no protection. Just look at Armenia and Syria.

Now compare this to becoming an ally of the West. Countries that ally themselves to the West experience economic miracles. Just look at Japan and Poland. And being allied to the West offers very serious protection. Look at Taiwan, South Korea and the entire NATO block. Not once have they ever suffered serious attack.

I don't believe that Abkhazia has any real future with Putin's Russia. When Putin departs the scene, then all bets will be off. In the meantime, I would suggest a very low-key friendly to everyone, keep your options open approach.

It’s crazy how many people forget that Russia was and still is the biggest colonial empire with brutal population replacement policies.


Everyone talks about western imperialism (and rightly so) however they tend to use Russia as the counter argument to western ideology. Wtf?

I’m glad you are shining a light on Russian history.

Great video

what you are naming a 'civil war' was planned and orchestrated by Russia. Georgian forces on the territory of Georgia defined by international law within its own borders cannot be named as an 'invasion',

you are telling the Russian version of history which is far from what the reality is. and the numbers never match

Thank you for keeping us updated

James, I had to laugh when you talked about the "long history of" Abkhazia.

You could say that about every state in Germany, for example. How about the English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish in the UK. Oh, sorry, I left out Cornwall. I was once vacationing there while living in the England. This was before Brexit. There were Cornish and EU flags but no Union Jacks or English flags. Cornwall is formally a part of England. I heard one guy say on the BBC, "I am Cornish, I am British and I am European, but I AM NOT ENGLISH (his emphasis)". I know a guy here in the US who is from Devon, and he is definitely NOT Cornish although he grew up near the border.

Another example would be the Basques and Catalonians in Spain. We can't, of course, forget about the Walloons and Flemish in Belgium. I won't even get into the whole Austro-Hungarian or the Ottoman empires. That might take all day.

Abkhazians hates Georgians,
And And this hatred originates after the Turks converted them to Islam
Then mass emigration, then long-term war with the Russians, literally made destruction of the Abkhazian population, isolation from the center plus dirty deep propaganda are here what we have now.

Thank you for your excellent report.

Russia is happy with Abkhazia’s international isolation. While Moscow occasionally makes calls for recognition, Russia doesn’t truly want Abkhazia to gain broader recognition or even establish economic ties with others without recognition. As long as Georgia-led sanctions persist, Abkhazia will remain firmly under Russian dominance.

If anyone accuses Abkhazia of being dependent on Russia, what they need to do is engage with Abkhazia and offer alternatives beyond Russia. If they can’t do that, they should stop complaining.

After Georgian-Abkhazian war of 1992-93, Georgia and Russia both together with CIS countries imposed heavy embargo against Abkhazia. These blockade lifted fully only after Putin came to power.

Welcome to the west you will be free to pick and choose what you want or don’t want it will be hard at first people with freedom and a great variety of music and information can be confused at first

A comment on the early USSR history part: Abkhazia was NOT one of the constituent republics of the USSR, never. When the USSR was formed, Georgia and Abkhazia (together with Armenia and Azerbaijan & dependencies) were part of the Transkaukasian SSR, one of the 4 founding SSRs. The TKSSR was dissolved with the new ('Stalinist') constitution of the USSR, it was replaced by Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Abkhazia was one of the 4 Autonomous SSRs of the TKSSR and was part of Georgia by then.

I will correct you, the people who call themselves Abkhazians are Apsua, a north Caucasian tribe that largely settled in Georgian region of Abkhazia after the genocide of cherkess population by Russia, what underlines this fact is also the language factor, Apsua people belong to cherkessian language group, and are cousin peoples. This happened largely about 150 years ago. The people who always lived on those territories and in fact were also the absolute majority when the region broke away - are Georgians. The regions, like all Georgian regions, has it's own identity because that's how Georgian state functions and thats how Georgian people function, a bit like France. So shortly, those people who claim to be Abkhazians are really north Caucasian nomads who escaped the genocide and Georgian people took them very humanely in fact before soviet times there was a very active mutual life in the region between different ethnicities including greeks as well. Also to note, Abkhazia is a coastal region of black sea, guess which word doesn't exist in Apsua language? The word for the "sea". Because these people lived exclusively far from it until 150 years ago. Then with support of Russians they ethnically cleansed the region of Georgian population. Voila.

It's not a direct challenge to the Kremlin, more regional discontent and a further expression of 'Tsar good, Boyars bad" but it's a headache that Putin doesn't need.

Sad story. I think the predicament of this poor people has something to do with their ethnic origin and probably their faith -- mostly are either muslims or native leftover minorities from Ottoman empire like in Crimea and other places in Caucasian region and later overtaken and occupied by the Russian empire. That is why western hypocrites, especially Britain , France and Germany do these immoral and unprincipled things most of the time. Another dangerous thing is the little known and lopsides relationship that often develops between the big patron states and their weak clients of unrecognized secessionist entity or tribal enclaves as you rightly mentioned. This strange and unholy relationship can turn into toxic of hostage and ransom taker or black mailing relationships as the patron side turns the situation into its own advantage of exploition and coercive scheme . Sadly a similar relationship is recently starting to develop an obscure secessionist clan enclave of northern Somalia and war torn Ethiopia, where neighboring Ehiopia is trying hard and deceptively to put in trap of a lopsided relation of clientelism scheme with separatist clan in Somalia. Here is again a valuable lesson to learn and see how this disastrous and unequal patron-client relashanship works in the real world. Even a nominal recognition given by the patron to the helpless client has no use and only conditional all the time in order to exploite and perpetuate the scheme further and even leading to detriment of the very existence of the insecure underdog client.

That was really good. Thank you Sir.

This was professionally and well presented. I benefited from your presentation. Thank you.

A step by step process and lesson into how to cheaply and easily absorb another neighbouring state. Abkhazia needs to pay attention to who it gets into bed with. Political disease is rampant.

Abkhazia is not even a real country. It's a part of Georgia that was infilttated by the Moscow Mafia.

😮

Does Russia really want the place? They declined the last time. I think ultimately the Russians would be happy for a peaceful solution involving Georgia if it lead to a lasting settlement and normalised relations with Georgia.

No

It would help Ukraine if the other Slavic countries refuse to cooperate with Russian.

bunch of losers just like Transnistria

Wronglyinformed about history,poor understanding of coomplexity of relationship

I'm not for or against what's going happening. I'm a Greek Orthodox Christian and have read many prophecies from modern Orthodox Saints and prophets.

They all say that Russian expansion is going to happen. No matter what I/we want. The Russians will eventually move into Europe as far as Austria and as far south as the Persian Gulf.

The will recede and lose power then as they're truly China's proxy at the moment. China will then fill that power vacuum.

Russia will launch nuclear weapons in Scandinavia and this will crumble the US, NATO and the EU. No one will respond against Russia. This will show how weak all alliances are.

Turkey will be destroyed by Russia because even the NATO allies will agree to remove them from the alliance and sanction Russia's invasion to eliminate them.

1/3 of the Turks will die in the war. 1/3 will go back to Mesopotamia what they came from. And 1/3 will reclaim Orthodoxy and be rebaptised as Christians.

The Orthodox Saints reported the news of what's to come years before and it's happening right in front of our eyes.

St. Paisios, a modern day saints who fell asleep in Christ in 1994, said in the late eighties, the Israelis will make Gazza a flat as a soccer pitch and the dead Sea will be the Palestinian graves. This is happening right in front of our eyes.

We know what's to come because the Saints have told is of the signs of the times. And they even said the prophecies will be our news headlines.

They've been 100% correct. I implore people to not disregard their data of fulfilled prophecy and what's to come.

Cheers and Happy Sunday

"Almost all break-away states rely on a patron or protector state to survive." I wondered how this assertion might have applied to Ireland (my country) a century ago when we broke away from the UK? Of course, analogies are not simple and do not necessarily stand the test of time ...

Its similar to Kosovo, but there the US is the patron state

sending greetings from Abkhazia

nowadays Abkhazians are not original Abkhaz, they are Apsua, Afshil and Abazg of origin, Abkhazians were always Georgians until Russian empire conquered it with other parts of Georgia. look at the kings and rulers family names, Anchabadze, Shervashidze, Machabeli etc. Russia always laid ticking time bombs in order to be able to squash any kind of rebellions and weaken national identity to control conquered states easily. more diverse is conquered country least possibility of unification. i am not saying that people who call themselves Abkhaz now are not our distant relative, they are, because of time we spent and lived together creates intermarriages and we are all Caucasians.

Anti-Russia campaign there
Long Live Mother Russia

Been to Mingrelia twice, guess what sms message greeted me near the border to Abkhazia xD "Welcome to the Russian Federation".

Abkhazia actually asked Russia to join Russian federation but Russia declined lmao

All the Abkhazians need is the freedom of their nation. The perverse international system is nothing but a weapon used against smaller nations.. the Abkhazians fought hard for their land and did many times in the last 3000 years. They deserve their freedom almost more than any others