Kodori Valley
On the morning of 9 August 2008, the Abkhaz "de facto" deputy defense minister requested, that UNOMIG should withdraw its observers from the Upper Kodori Valley. UNOMIG then withdrew all 15 observers from the Upper Kodori Valley. The Abkhaz "de facto" authorities announced a decision, taken by president Bagapsh, to expel the Georgian armed forces from the Upper Kodori Valley. On the afternoon, UNOMIG reported aerial bombardments of Georgian villages in the Upper Kodori Valley. On 10 August, the president of Abkhazia, Sergei Bagapsh, gave a press conference where he announced that their operation in the Upper Kodori Valley was proceeding according to plan. He gave both Georgian civilians and armed personnel an ultimatum to leave the Upper Kodori Valley. He also said, that the government of Abkhazia had requested Russia to take measures to strengthen the Abkhaz maritime border. Bagapsh said, that his decision to start a military operation against the Upper Kodori Valley was approved by the parliament.