Russia’s withdrawal of all military bases in Georgia has not eased relations between the two countries.

Russia’s 62 nd military base in Georgia entered a military state [data picture]

Senior Russian military officials revealed on November 15 that Russia has withdrawn all its troops stationed in Georgia, so far, all Russian military bases in Georgia have been closed. Although the garrison problem that has long caused friction between the two countries has been solved, the recent tension between the two sides has not eased.

Russian troops bid farewell to Georgia

According to Russian media reports, Russian Army Commander Alexei? Maslov said on the 15th: "There are no Russian troops in Georgia, leaving only peacekeepers, some in Abkhazia and some in South Ossetia."

After the disintegration of the former Soviet Union, Russia retained four military bases in Georgia. As of June this year, except for the 12th military base in Batumi, the capital of the Republic of Azar, Georgia, the other three bases have been officially handed over to the Georgian government, and the Russian military’s foreign Caucasus cluster command in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, was also closed at the end of last year.

According to the withdrawal agreement signed by Russia and Georgia in March last year, Russian troops should completely withdraw from their military bases in Batumi before October 2008. The evacuation was one year ahead of schedule. Russia and Georgia completed the relevant handover procedures on the 13th, and the last Russian base in Georgia will be officially handed over to the Georgian Ministry of Defence on December 1st.

Transfer to Armenian base

According to Colonel Konashenkov, press assistant to the commander-in-chief of the Russian Army, the last military special train used for the evacuation of Batumi military base contained 34 cars and other military technical equipment with a total weight of about 200 tons, and Major General popov, commander of the Russian Caucasian Cluster Command abroad, and 150 troops were also evacuated with the train. They entered the territory of the Republic of Armenia in the early morning of 15th, and will arrive at No.102 Russian military base in Gyumri in northern Asia on the evening of 15th.

Armenia is Russia’s strategic partner in Transcaucasia, and the military and political relations between the two countries are very close. At the Gyumri base, the Russian army deployed more than 100 tanks and about 300 armored personnel carriers, as well as artillery systems, various air defense missile systems and more than 4,000 officers and men. Its task was to cover the southern wing of Russia and protect Armenia. Armenia not only does not charge Russia for the use of the base, but also provides it with related equipment and maintenance services.

In addition to the Gyumri base, there are five Russian military bases in the "brother" countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, namely the Aini base in Tajikistan, the Kantor air base in Kyrgyzstan, the Sevastopol naval base in Ukraine, the Baranovich early warning radar station in Belarus and the Daryal early warning radar station in Azerbaijan. With the adjustment of military strategy and the change of military strength, Russian military bases abroad gradually lost their pure military color and played a more important political role.

Relations between the two countries remain tense.

Although Russia fulfilled its promise to remove its military base from Georgia one year ahead of schedule, Russian political scientists believe that this will not help much to improve the tense relations between the two countries. Alexander, an expert at the Russian Post-Soviet Space Social and Political Process Research Center? Karavayev said: "This move should ease the relationship between the two countries, but this has not happened."

Leonid, director of the Russian Geopolitical Research Institute? Ivashov agrees with this view. At the same time, he believes that it is necessary to strengthen the military presence in Abkhazia and even the southern Federal District to make up for the military vacuum caused by Russia’s withdrawal of military bases from Georgia. "Now we need to strengthen the Russian peacekeeping forces in Abkhazia and ensure their safety, because the conflict between Georgia and the unrecognized Republic of Abkhazia may escalate."

However, two political scientists also admitted that the loss of the military base in Georgia did not cause much loss to Russia’s strategic plan.

At present, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, where Russian peacekeeping troops are stationed, are Georgia’s autonomous republics and autonomous prefectures, respectively, bordering Russia. After the disintegration of the former Soviet Union, they declared their independence and have been in a state of confrontation with the Georgian central government, but they both maintain close relations with Russia. As a result, Georgia and Russia are at loggerheads over Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Georgian President Saakashvili accused a large number of Russian heavy weapons and personnel of illegally entering Abkhazia in recent days, and they did not belong to the peacekeeping force. This was categorically denied by the Russian side, calling this statement "a pure lie" and a provocation against Russia. (China Daily website/Kang Juan)

Russian military officials announced the early completion of their withdrawal from Georgia.

Colonel Igor Konashenkov, Press Assistant to the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, said on the 15th that the special train carrying Russian soldiers and materials from the 12th military base in Batumi, Georgia, had arrived at the border between Armenia and Georgia at 14: 00 Moscow time. Read the full text ""

Russian experts: Russian military forces are in danger and unable to defend the country.

According to the report "Counting Putin: Crisis and Decline of Russian Army" by Russian National Institute of Strategic Studies, Russian military forces are at the most dangerous moment, especially during Putin’s administration, and this situation has an irreversible trend in Putin’s era. Read the full text ""

Editor: Cao Jin