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'Volunteers' from occupied Georgian lands perish in Russia's invasion of Ukraine

By Tengo Gogotishvili

This YouTube screenshot shows two combatants in balaclavas who claim to be members of the "special forces of the State Security Service of Abkhazia near Avdiivka [Ukraine]".

This YouTube screenshot shows two combatants in balaclavas who claim to be members of the "special forces of the State Security Service of Abkhazia near Avdiivka [Ukraine]".

TBILISI -- Fighters from Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia sent to fight in Russia's invasion of Ukraine have been dying in droves, according to various reports.

The Kremlin in 2008 recognised the independence of the two breakaway statelets of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and established permanent Russian military bases there.

Now, "volunteers" from the separatist regions are being sent to fight in Ukraine.

Ukrainian media reported in March the large-scale transfer of personnel, weapons and equipment from bases in Gudauta, Abkhazia, and in Tskhinvali, South Ossetia, to occupied Ukrainian areas.

Wagner Group mercenary Oleg Dzarakhokhov, better known as Kolobok the Killer, 'died heroically' near Bakhmut, Ukraine. In 2016, the Tskhinvali native was sentenced to 19 years in prison. He reportedly was killed by a land mine. [Facebook]

Wagner Group mercenary Oleg Dzarakhokhov, better known as Kolobok the Killer, 'died heroically' near Bakhmut, Ukraine. In 2016, the Tskhinvali native was sentenced to 19 years in prison. He reportedly was killed by a land mine. [Facebook]

On July 1, Ukrainian troops captured Pavel Gruzev, a major of Russia's 7th Military Base. In a video message, he claims that, like hundreds of his colleagues, he ended up in Ukraine against his will. [YouTube]

On July 1, Ukrainian troops captured Pavel Gruzev, a major of Russia's 7th Military Base. In a video message, he claims that, like hundreds of his colleagues, he ended up in Ukraine against his will. [YouTube]

Three battalion tactical groups (BTGs) were formed and sent to Ukraine from the 4th Military Base in Tskhinvali, Slovoidilo.ua reported last March, citing the General Staff of the Ukrainian Army.

The BTGs comprised as many as 1,200 Russian and Ossetian military personnel.

Units of the 7th Military Base in Gudauta were also formed into two BTGs -- some 800 men, according to the website.

"According to our information, ethnic Abkhaz fighters are arriving at the front and acting voluntarily," Irakli Komakhidze, co-founder of InformNapalm, an international community of volunteers who seek to share information on the Russian invasion, told Caravanserai.

The fighters are part of Pyatnashka, a Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) military unit that identifies itself as an international brigade under the command of Akhra Avidzba, according to Komakhidze.

"They replace each other by rotation and have operated in Donetsk province from the very beginning," he said.

"Many ethnic Ossetians who arrived as volunteers are now serving under contract in units of the 4th Base (from Tskhinvali) or the 19th Motorised Rifle Division (permanently deployed at Vladikavkaz [North Ossetia]), in order to compensate for the significant losses of Russian troops".

North Ossetia is a Russian internal republic.

"There are also so-called reserve battalions, formed from South Ossetians, among others," said Komakhidze. "The most famous of them is the Alania."

These battalions were deployed to Donetsk, Ukraine, but have now been transferred to Zaporizhzhia province, Ukraine, near Melitopol, he said.

"Their task is to strengthen the flanks and rear of the 429th and 503rd regiments of the 19th Division [of the Russian army]. Both the division and the 'volunteer' battalions have sustained rather serious losses overall," he said.

"These Ossetian units (made of residents of North and South Ossetia) officially lost up to 200 men, but that figure should at least be doubled," Komakhidze estimated.

Evidence suggests that official Abkhaz forces are operating in Ukraine.

A propaganda film published online in the fall showed two combatants in balaclavas, who claimed to be members of the "special forces of the State Security Service of Abkhazia near Avdiivka [Ukraine]".

"[Ours] are not afraid of a shot or an explosion. They will run at a tank chest-first, if necessary," say one of the soldiers.

Reports of deaths emerging

Reports of the deaths of Abkhaz fighters in Ukraine have continued to emerge despite Russia's efforts to hide casualty figures.

"Twenty-four-year-old Beso Tabagua was killed in Ukraine ... Beso and I sat at the same school desk. He is the only ethnic Georgian I know of who fought for Russia," G. Kh., a Georgian refugee from Gali, Abkhazia, posted on his Facebook page in early November.

Occupied Abkhazia's news sources at the time reported that a Tapaghua Beslan had died "for the liberation of Donbas", having "Abkhazified" his first and last name, which are quite common in Georgia.

Sputnik Abkhazia, a Russian propaganda website, also reported in December that "three volunteers from Abkhazia -- Akhra Kirkinadze, Artur Kirkinadze, and Laurent Smyr -- died in Donbas".

Russian troops who were deployed to bases in Georgia have also been reported killed.

Col. Vladimir Rogalev, chief of staff of Russia's 7th Military Base in Gudauta, was reportedly killed in October.

On July 1, Ukrainian troops also captured Pavel Gruzev, a 7th Military Base major. In a video message, he said that, like hundreds of his colleagues, he ended up in Ukraine against his will.

"Col. Klimenko, the commander of the 7th [Military] Base, and Col. Rogalev, the chief of staff, are trapping all the personnel of the 7th Military Base, who do not want to be here," he said.

"They want to return home. The entire makeup of the 1st Battalion, 2nd Battalion -- there is no one left of them. Everyone is scattered. Everyone is surrendering."

According to Telegram channels, Wagner Group mercenary Oleg Dzarakhokhov, better known as "Kolobok the Killer", "died heroically" near Bakhmut, Ukraine, in late November.

In 2016, the Tskhinvali native was sentenced to 19 years in prison. He reportedly died in a land mine blast.

Hiding mobilisation

While those fighting in Ukraine are reportedly volunteers, evidence suggests that Russian President Vladimir Putin's "partial mobilisation" in September also extended to Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

In theory, the residents of both regions are foreigners under no obligation to Russian conscription.

Sergey Menyaylo, the head of North Ossetia, said in October that he had received complaints the residents of South Ossetia were being conscripted, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Echo of the Caucasus reported.

Menyaylo dismissed the complaints as unfounded, adding that draft officials are calling only on men who have registered for conscription in Russia and are subject to mobilisation, according to the report.

However, there is no smoke without fire.

Officials from the two breakaway regions have expressed support for Putin's mobilisation.

Echo of the Caucasus in October quoted Alan Gagloev, South Ossetia's president, as saying, "There is not a single person among our youth who would hide from mobilisation."

"Each of our young men considers it his duty to protect the people of Donbass in this difficult time. Having demonstrated heroism and courage, many unfortunately gave their lives in the fight against Nazism," Gagloev said.

"More than 90% of our citizens are citizens of the Russian Federation," noted Abkhaz military commissar Beslan Tarba, in an interview with Sputnik in September.

He made his remarks after Russian Deputy Defence Minister Nikolai Pankov said that "mobilisation will affect Abkhazia, since its population is almost 100% Russian citizens".

"We know it. We remember it, and we are proud of it. We correctly understood the message of the President of the Russian Federation. It also applies to the citizens of our republic."

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