According to RIA Novosti news agency: 
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Georgia has deployed almost 7,500 troops on its border with Abkhazia, the defense minister of the breakaway republic said on Sunday.
Merab Kishmaria said should a military operation begin, some 3,000 troops will apparently be used to seize the Kodori Gorge, in the northeast of Abkhazia.
"We are watching the movement of troops in the Kodori Gorge. According to our intelligence, up to 7,500 Georgian troops on the Georgian-Abkhaz border are on alert, with 3,000 of them to be used in attempting to take the Kodori Gorge," he said.
He added that the Abkhaz armed forces had also been put on combat alert and that there would be enough forces and military equipment to repulse any "Georgian aggression."
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I do not think that Abkhaz will be a push over & Georgia better watch their P&Q's.
Besides this is not far from Sochi, someone better get it under control before the Olympics.....
Kyle
comments always welcome.
1 hour ago
4 Comments!:
I suppose russian peacemakers will inhibit actions, and major russian forces may be involved only if there will be obvious (for russian authorities only) direct massive attacks against the peacemakers (not against abkhasian forces) or some massacre (because many abkhasians have russian citizenship). And NATO and co will not do anything direct: they'll half-openly support Georgia with weapons/instructors and will try to accuse Russia in anything.
The question with Sochi is: whether Abkhasia will be involved in Olympics (economically) or not. If Georgia threatens to attack Russian territory, Georgia will become something like Chechnya in its worst times. Or like former Yugoslavia (again in its worst times). It may be something Saakashvili will like if georgians will stop supporting him (so that living in exile in USA or something will be good enough for him).
However, I don't know much: I only will be the least astonished in the described case.
Hey Peter,
Good point on Saakashvili, He does not seem to me that he really is very popular in Georgia.
I am not sure exactly how strong the military in Abkhasia really is but I know that there are a lot of Russians that Russia will protect if need be.
You are correct about what would happen if Georgia threatens to attack Russian territory.
The reason I brought up Olympics is because when we were on our trip last month we realized that the Georgia border is very close to Sochi. In fact we were just driving around and discovered that fact. Seems that a troubled border is not good that close to future Olympics.
Thanks for stopping by and as always you have good thoughts on the subject.
Kyle & Svet
that there are a lot of Russians that Russia will protect if need be
Here comes a question about loyalty to Russia from these citizens and their willingness to live in Russia (in Abkhasia).
It does not seem, that living in Russia is their best wish, and they surely don't want to be truly independent (i.e. defend their independence against anyone, unconditionally).
It's possible to screw things up if they decide to play bad political games (with broken promises etc.).
For example, Israel formally (it's legally hard for Russia to denounce citizenship, they have to do some paperwork themselves to get rid of russian citizenship) has lots of russian citizens. Some of them even think that it is the reason for Russia to support the foreign policies of Israel, and it's obvious nonsense.
Hey Peter,
Thanks for bring that up. You are correct. They really just want to be a separate country. Not part of Russia and definitely not part of Georgia.
That is a good point about Israel!
Thanks
Kyle
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