Georgian – Abkhazian conflict The Georgian – Abkhazian conflict refers to the ethnic conflict between Georgians and Abkhazians in Abkhazia , which is a " de facto " independent , partially recognized republic . In a broader sense , the Georgian - Abkhaz conflict can be considered as part of a geopolitical conflict in the Caucasus region , intensified at the end of the 20th century in conjunction with the dissolution of the Soviet Union . The conflict , one of the bloodiest in the post - Soviet area , remains unresolved . The Georgian government offered substantial autonomy to Abkhazia several times . However , both the Abkhaz government and the opposition refuse any forms of union with Georgia . Abkhaz consider their independence to be a result of a war of liberation from Georgia , while Georgians believe that historically Abkhazia has always been part of Georgia . Georgians formed the single largest ethnic group in pre - war Abkhazia , with a 45 . 7 % plurality as of 1989 . Many accuse Eduard Shevardnadze ’ s government of the initiation of senseless hostilities , and then of ineffective conduct of the war and post - war diplomacy . During the war , the Abkhaz separatist side carried out a full scale ethnic cleansing campaign which resulted in the expulsion of up to 250 , 000 ethnic Georgians and more than 15 , 000 killed . The ethnic cleansing of Georgians has been recognized officially by the Organization for Security and Co - operation in Europe ( OSCE ) conventions of Lisbon , Budapest and Istanbul ( also mentioned in UN General Assembly Resolution GA / 10708 ) . The UN Security Council passed a series of resolutions in which it appeals for a cease - fire . Events . Soviet era . In the Soviet era Abkhazia was an Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic ( Abkhazian ASSR ) , an entity within the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic ( Georgian SSR ) Manifestations demanding secession from the Georgian SSR and inclusion into the Russian SFSR are reported to have taken place in April 1957 , April 1967 and — especially vigorously — in May and September 1978 . In 1978 , 130 representatives of the Abkhaz intelligentia signed a letter to the Soviet leadership , protesting against what they saw as Georgianization of Abkhazia . War in Abkhazia . The conflict involved a 13 - month - long War in Abkhazia , beginning in August 1992 , with Georgian government forces and a militia composed of ethnic Georgians who lived in Abkhazia on one side and Russian - backed separatist forces consisting of ethnic Abkhazian s , Armenians and Russians who also lived in Abkhazia on the other side . The separatists were supported by the North Caucasian and Cossack militants and ( unofficially ) by Russian forces stationed in Gudauta . The conflict resulted in an agreement in Sochi to cease hostilities , however , this would not last . Resumption of hostilities . In April – May 1998 , the conflict escalated once again in the Gali District when several hundred Abkhaz forces entered the villages still populated by Georgians to support the separatist - held parliamentary elections . Despite criticism from the opposition , Eduard Shevardnadze , President of Georgia , refused to deploy troops against Abkhazia . A ceasefire was negotiated on May 20 . The hostilities resulted in hundreds of casualties from both sides and an additional 20 , 000 Georgian refugees . In September 2001 , around 400 Chechen fighters and 80 Georgian guerrillas appeared in the Kodori Valley in extremely controversial conditions . The Chechen - Georgian paramilitaries advanced as far as Sukhumi , but finally were repelled by Abkhaz and Gudauta based Russian peacekeepers . Saakashvili era . The new Georgian government of President Mikheil Saakashvili promised not to use force and to resolve the problem only by diplomacy and political talks . While at a Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) summit it was decided to exclude any contact with separatists ; the trans - border economic cooperation and transport between Abkhazia and Russia grows in scale , with Russia claiming that all this is a matter of private business , rather than state . Georgia also decries the unlimited issuing of Russian passports in Abkhazia with subsequent payment of retirement pensions and other monetary benefits by Russia , which Georgia considers to be economic support of separatists by the Russian government . In May 2006 the Coordinating Council of Georgia ’ s Government and Abkhaz separatists was convened for the first time since 2001 . In late July the 2006 Kodori crisis erupted , resulting in the establishment of the de jure Government of Abkhazia in Kodori . For the first time after the war , this government is located in Abkhazia , and is headed by Malkhaz Akishbaia , Temur Mzhavia and Ada Marshania . Currently , the Abkhaz side demands reparations from the Georgian side of $ 13 billion in US currency for damages in this conflict . The Georgian side dismisses these claims . On May 15 , 2008 United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution recognising the right of all refugees ( including victims of reported “ ethnic cleansing ” ) to return to Abkhazia and their property rights . It " regretted " the attempts to alter pre - war demographic composition and called for the " rapid development of a timetable to ensure the prompt voluntary return of all refugees and internally displaced persons to their homes . " On July 9 , 2012 , the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly passed a resolution at its annual session in Monaco , underlining Georgia ’ s territorial integrity and referring to breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia as “ occupied territories ” . The resolution “ urges the Government and the Parliament of the Russian Federation , as well as the de facto authorities of Abkhazia , Georgia and South Ossetia , Georgia , to allow the European Union Monitoring Mission unimpeded access to the occupied territories . ” It also says that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is “ concerned about the humanitarian situation of the displaced persons both in Georgia and in the occupied territories of Abkhazia , Georgia and South Ossetia , Georgia , as well as the denial of the right of return to their places of living . ” The Assembly is the parliamentary dimension of the OSCE with 320 lawmakers from the organization ’ s 56 participating states , including Russia . August 2008 . On August 10 , 2008 , the 2008 War in South Ossetia spread to Abkhazia , where separatist rebels and the Russian air force launched an all - out attack on Georgian forces . Abkhazia ' s pro - Moscow separatist President Sergei Bagapsh said that his troops had launched a major " military operation " to force Georgian troops out of the Kodori Gorge , which they still controlled . As a result of this attack , Georgian troops were driven out of Abkhazia entirely . On August 26 , 2008 , the Russian Federation officially recognized both South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states . In response to Russia ' s recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia , the Georgian government announced that the country cut all diplomatic relations with Russia and that it left the Commonwealth of Independent States . After the war . Relations between Georgia and Abkhazia have remained tense after the war . Georgia has moved to increase Abkhazia ' s isolation by imposing a sea blockade of Abkhazia . During the opening ceremony of a new building of the Georgian Embassy in Kiev ( Ukraine ) in November 2009 Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili stated that residents of South Ossetia and Abkhazia could also use its facilities " I would like to assure you , my dear friends , that this is your home , as well , and here you will always be able to find support and understanding " .