Minister of Defence of Abkhazia
Encyclopedia
The office of Minister of Defence has been one of the most important in the Republic of Abkhazia due to the ongoing conflict with Georgia. The position was created 11 October 1992, shortly after the outbreak of the 1992-1993 war with Georgia. The first minister of Defence was Vladimir Arshba, but due to his injuries for most of the time his functions were carried out by Deputy Minister of Defence and Chief of the General Staff Sultan Sosnaliev, who eventually also formally succeeded Arshba on 25 April 2003. Sosnaliev oversaw Abkhazia's successful expulsion of Georgian forces and remained Defence Minister until on 1 July 1996 he resigned to return to his native Kabardia.
Sosnaliev's successor was Vladimir Mikanba
, who held the position during the May 1998 war in the Gali district
and the October 2001 incursion of Chechen fighters down the Kodori valley
.
Mikanba was succeeded by Raul Jumka-ipa Khajimba
, who would go on to become Prime Minister, and who is the current Vice President of Abkhazia. 22 April 2003, when Khajimba became Prime Minister, Viacheslav Eshba became Minister for Defence. On 8 November 2004, during the height of the crisis following the 2004 Presidential election
, a source within the government claimed that Eshba had been replaced by Mukhamed Kilba, the deputy chief of Khadjimba's presidential campaign, but this was denied by Prime Minister Nodar Khashba
.
On 25 February 2005, newly elected Predident Sergei Bagapsh
called on Sultan Sosnaliev to become Defence Minister once more. Sosnaliev agreed and held the office until shortly after his 65th birthday on 8 May 2007 he resigned for personal reasons.
26 June 2007 then Deputy Defence Minister Mirab Boris-ipa Kishmaria
was appointed Sosnaliev's successor. During the August 2008 war in South Ossetia
, he oversaw the Abkhazian conquest
of so-called Upper Abkhazia
, the only part of Abkhazia that had remained under Georgian control since the 1992-1993 war. Kishmaria remains Minister of Defence until the present day.
Sosnaliev's successor was Vladimir Mikanba
Vladimir Mikanba
Vladimir Tach-ipa Mikanba was the Minister of Defence of the partially recognised Republic of Abkhazia from 1996 until 2002.-Early life and career:...
, who held the position during the May 1998 war in the Gali district
War in Abkhazia (1998)
The War in Abkhazia in 1998 took place in the Gali district of Abkhazia, after ethnic Georgians launched an insurgency against the Abkhazian secessionist government...
and the October 2001 incursion of Chechen fighters down the Kodori valley
2001 Kodori crisis
The 2001 Kodori crisis was a confrontation in the Kodori Gorge, Abkhazia, in October 2001 between ethnic Chechen fighters and Abkhazian forces. The crisis was largely neglected by world media, focused on then-actual US attack on Afghanistan...
.
Mikanba was succeeded by Raul Jumka-ipa Khajimba
Raul Khadjimba
Raul Jumka-ipa Khajimba is a politician from Abkhazia, leading the oppositional Forum of the National Unity of Abkhazia. Until 28 May 2009 Khajimba served as Vice President following the power-sharing agreement reached with current president Sergei Bagapsh to end the crisis that followed the...
, who would go on to become Prime Minister, and who is the current Vice President of Abkhazia. 22 April 2003, when Khajimba became Prime Minister, Viacheslav Eshba became Minister for Defence. On 8 November 2004, during the height of the crisis following the 2004 Presidential election
Abkhazian presidential election, 2004
On 3 October 2004 Abkhazia held its second Presidential elections since the post of President of the Republic of Abkhazia was created in 1994, and the first that were competitive. Election law prohibited incumbent President Vladislav Ardzinba from running for a third term and he instead backed...
, a source within the government claimed that Eshba had been replaced by Mukhamed Kilba, the deputy chief of Khadjimba's presidential campaign, but this was denied by Prime Minister Nodar Khashba
Nodar Khashba
Nodar Vladimirovich Khashba is a former prime minister of Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia and a former mayor of Sukhumi....
.
On 25 February 2005, newly elected Predident Sergei Bagapsh
Sergei Bagapsh
Sergei Uasyl-ipa Bagapsh was the second President of the Republic of Abkhazia. He was Prime Minister from 1997 to 1999 and was later elected as President in 2005. He was re-elected in the 2009 presidential election...
called on Sultan Sosnaliev to become Defence Minister once more. Sosnaliev agreed and held the office until shortly after his 65th birthday on 8 May 2007 he resigned for personal reasons.
26 June 2007 then Deputy Defence Minister Mirab Boris-ipa Kishmaria
Mirab Kishmaria
Mirab Boris-ipa Kishmaria is the current Minister of Defence of the Republic of Abkhazia, which enjoys only limited recognition internationally.-Early life and career:...
was appointed Sosnaliev's successor. During the August 2008 war in South Ossetia
2008 South Ossetia war
The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
, he oversaw the Abkhazian conquest
Battle of the Kodori Valley
The Battle of Kodori Valley was a military operation in the Upper Kodori Valley, during the 2008 South Ossetia war, the only part of Abkhazia, which remained under Georgian control after the War in Abkhazia from 1992 to 1993. Hostilities started, during the 2008 South Ossetia war, the Abkhazian...
of so-called Upper Abkhazia
Upper Abkhazia
Upper Abkhazia is a term introduced in 2006, to denote the northeastern part of the disputed territory of Abkhazia, that had remained under Georgian control after the 1992 - 1993 War in Abkhazia. From September 2006 until August 2008 its main village, Chkhalta, hosted the Government of the...
, the only part of Abkhazia that had remained under Georgian control since the 1992-1993 war. Kishmaria remains Minister of Defence until the present day.
List of people to hold the office
| # | Name | Entered office | Left office | President | Comments | ||
| 1 | Vladimir Arshba | 11 October 1992 | 25 April 1993 | Vladislav Ardzinba Vladislav Ardzinba Vladislav Grigori-ipa Ardzinba was the first President of Abkhazia. A historian by education, Ardzinba led Abkhazia to de facto independence in the 1992-1993 War with Georgia, but its de jure independence from Georgia remained internationally unrecognised during Ardzinba's two terms as President... |
|||
| 2 | Sultan Sosnaliyev Sultan Sosnaliyev Sultan Sosnaliyev was a commander of Abkhaz and allied forces during the War in Abkhazia and a defence minister of Abkhazia in 1993-1996 and 2005-2007.-Early life:Sultan Sosnaliyev was born in Baksan in Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia, to Kabardin parents... |
25 April 1993 | 1 July 1996 | First time | |||
| 3 | Vladimir Mikanba Vladimir Mikanba Vladimir Tach-ipa Mikanba was the Minister of Defence of the partially recognised Republic of Abkhazia from 1996 until 2002.-Early life and career:... |
July 1996 | 9 December 2002 | ||||
| 4 | Raul Jumka-ipa Khajimba Raul Khadjimba Raul Jumka-ipa Khajimba is a politician from Abkhazia, leading the oppositional Forum of the National Unity of Abkhazia. Until 28 May 2009 Khajimba served as Vice President following the power-sharing agreement reached with current president Sergei Bagapsh to end the crisis that followed the... |
9 December 2002 | 22 April 2003 | ||||
| 5 | Viacheslav Eshba | 22 April 2003 | 25 February 2005 | ||||
| 6 | Sultan Sosnaliyev Sultan Sosnaliyev Sultan Sosnaliyev was a commander of Abkhaz and allied forces during the War in Abkhazia and a defence minister of Abkhazia in 1993-1996 and 2005-2007.-Early life:Sultan Sosnaliyev was born in Baksan in Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia, to Kabardin parents... |
25 February 2005 | 8 May 2007 | Sergei Bagapsh Sergei Bagapsh Sergei Uasyl-ipa Bagapsh was the second President of the Republic of Abkhazia. He was Prime Minister from 1997 to 1999 and was later elected as President in 2005. He was re-elected in the 2009 presidential election... |
Second time | ||
| 7 | Mirab Boris-ipa Kishmaria Mirab Kishmaria Mirab Boris-ipa Kishmaria is the current Minister of Defence of the Republic of Abkhazia, which enjoys only limited recognition internationally.-Early life and career:... |
26 June 2007 | Incumbent |
See also
- Military of AbkhaziaMilitary of AbkhaziaThe Abkhazian Armed Forces is the military of Abkhazia.The Ministry of Defence and the General Staff of the Abkhazian armed forced were officially created on 12 October 1992, after the outbreak of the 1992-1993 war with Georgia. The basis of the armed forces was formed by the ethnic Abkhaz National...
- President of Abkhazia
- Vice President of AbkhaziaVice President of AbkhaziaThe Vice President of the Abkhaz Republic, an partially recognized state, internationally regarded as a part of Georgia, is the first in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of Abkhazia upon the death, resignation, or removal of the President...
- Prime Minister of Abkhazia
- Minister for Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia