CEPA: Georgia - Frontline specters revisited

This week marks the eighth anniversary of the Russian-Georgia War — an early testing ground for Russia’s hybrid war techniques. Since that time, Russia has annexed Crimea, occupied eastern Ukraine and probed the resolve of America’s frontline allies from the Baltic to the Black Sea. But what has become of frontline Georgia?

In the latest Europe’s Edge, Center for European Policy Analysis’ Larry Luxner reports from Georgia’s Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) separating Georgia from its occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region and discovers that Russia’s strategy of "grab, stab and hold” is exceptionally difficult to undo.

A border guard stands at the Administrative Boundary Line separating Georgia and its occupied South Ossetia region. Photo by CEPA.

On a recent five-day junket organised by the Georgian Embassy in Washington, Luxner visits the ABL, sees the barbed wire fence stretching 51km into the distance, and learns about the five day Russia-Georgia war that left tens of thousands homeless or as refugees.

Before the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, South Ossetia was home to 60,000 people, while the larger region of Abkhazia, situated to the west, hosted 550,000 inhabitants. Together, the two regions comprised 20 percent of Georgia’s total land area.

"After the war, the overwhelming majority of Georgians were expelled from Abkhazia and became IDPs,” said Archil Gegeshidze, Georgia’s envoy in Washington. "Some went to Russia or Ukraine and became refugees in those countries. The current population of South Ossetia is 15,000 to 30,000, but unfortunately, the only job-creating industry there is the Russian military base, and many of them are leaving.”

Luxner then visits 83-year-old David Vanishvili – a lifelong resident of Tskhinvali – who was isolated by the barbed wire fence and is now a prisoner in his own village after Russia extended its barbed wire fence deeper into Georgian territory.

Long-time Tskhinvali resident David Vanishvili is isolated behind the barbed wire fence. Photo by CEPA.

Luxner writes: "As first seen during the 2008 war, and later expanded in the 2014 Ukraine Crisis, Russia’s strategy of "grab, stab and hold” has yet to be undone in Georgia. 

After seizing territory through force of arms, Russia aims to create afait accompli at the negotiating table. Once the high-intensity fighting ends, it can then acquire more land by gradually extending and redefining the borders of its control. Neighboring states like Georgia or Ukraine can risk new fighting if they wish to resist this "border creep,” or they can accept the revised status quo. What does not change, is the nature of the land grab itself.”

This ongoing provocation causes massive disruption to Georgia but the country has pledged to attempt to reconcile diplomatic relations with Russia via pragmatic policy and peace.

Georgia also seeks for NATO membership, and another way forward is through foreign investments, say local officials.

Read the full story here: http://cepa.org