2001 Kodori crisis
| 2001 Kodori crisis | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Abkhaz–Georgian conflict and Second Chechen War | ||||||||
Map of Abkhazia showing the location of the Kodori Gorge | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| Belligerents | ||||||||
|
Chechen division under Gelayev Georgian guerrillas[1] | UN Peacekeepers[2] | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | ||||||||
| Vladislav Ardzinba | Ruslan Gelayev | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | ||||||||
| 1 accidental,[4] 1 Mil Mi-8 helicopter, ~10 KIA[5][6] | ||||||||
| At least 40 killed[7] | ||||||||
The 2001 Kodori crisis was a confrontation in the Kodori Valley, Abkhazia, in October 2001 between Georgians (who were supported by ethnic Chechen fighters) and Abkhaz forces.[8] The fighting resulted in the deaths of at least 40 people and the bombing of three villages.[7][9]
Timeline
On October 4, 2001, a group of Chechen and Georgian fighters led by the commander Ruslan Gelayev entered the gorge from the Georgian side and attacked the village Giorgievskoe.[7] Then, on October 8, 2001 9:20AM[10], a helicopter carrying United Nations observers was shot down over Kodori, killing nine,[11] on the same day unidentified assailants attacked the village of Naa [spelled also Haa] killing 14 people in the process,[12] and on the next day multiple unidentified aircraft bombed the gorge.[13] The Russian air force carried out air strikes on the fighters.[14] A group of fighters was intercepted by Abkhaz forces near Ilori on October 17. On October 17 Abkhazian Defence Ministry officials said that the lower part of the valley was again under the Abkhazian control.[15]
Aftermath
The crisis was largely neglected by the world media, which was focused on the concurrent US attack on Afghanistan.
On 5 August 2004, Valery Chkhetiani, one of the Georgian fighters captured by Abkhaz forces, suffered a stroke during a walk and was brought to a hospital, where he died two days later, on 7 August. Chkhetiani, a resident of Kutaisi born in 1973, had been condemned to a prison sentence of 15 years.[16]
On 29 July 2006, Mart Laar, former prime minister of Estonia and then adviser to the Georgian president, was quoted as saying that the Kodori conflict was engineered by Russia. Laar also warned that future provocations of Georgia by Russia are to be expected, but that Georgia has prepared itself to make it through any challenges posed by Russia.[17]
On 30 April 2008, Russia accused Georgia of massing 1500 troops in the Kodori region in preparation to invade Abkhazia. Georgia maintained the troops were present in accordance with a 1994 accord that allowed for peacekeeping forces in the region and were essential to maintaining order after the 2001 Kodori crisis. Russia responded by deploying troops to the region, further escalating tensions between Russia and Georgia. These forces would later take part in the war in 2008.[18]
References
- ^ "Abkhazia "on verge of war"". Archived from the original on 2008-02-15.
- ^ "Kidnappers in Separatist Georgian Region Free 4 U.N. Workers". www.nytimes.com. 12 June 2003.
- ^ "United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia". peacekeeping.un.org. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
- ^ "POPULATION FLEES SCENE OF RECENT ABKHAZ FIGHTING". 23 Oct 2001. Retrieved 17 Dec 2025.
- ^ "Kidnappers in Separatist Georgian Region Free 4 U.N. Workers". www.nytimes.com. 12 June 2003.
- ^ "Missile downs U.N. helicopter". 8 Oct 2001. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ a b c "Caucasus Report: October 12, 2001". Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty. 12 October 2001. Archived from the original on 20 January 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
- ^ "Human Rights Watch World Report 2002: Europe & Central Asia: Georgia". www.hrw.org.
- ^ Deliso, Christopher (17 Oct 2001). "Georgia on The Edge". Retrieved 16 November 2025.
- ^ "Annan 'shocked' at reported deadly downing of UN helicopter in Georgia". 8 Oct 2001. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
- ^ "UN helicopter shot down in Georgia". BBC News. 2001-10-08. Archived from the original on 20 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
- ^ Maloverjan, Üve (12 Oct 2001). "Vene ja Gruusia lahingud Abhaasias" (in Ewe). Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ Cutler, Robert (15 Oct 2001). "Abkhazia Again: The UN Helicopter Shootdown". Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ Georgia: Fear and Poverty in the Kodori Gorge Archived November 18, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, 31.05.02
- ^ "Caucasus Report: October 22, 2001". RFE/RL. 22 October 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
- ^ "В реанимации Сухумской клинической больницы скончался гражданин Грузии Валерий Чхетиани, содержавшийся в ИВС МВД Абхазии". Caucasian Knot. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
- ^ "GEORGIAN KODORI GORGE CRISIS WAS ENGINEERED BY RUSSIA - LAAR". Baltic News Service. 29 July 2006. Archived from the original on 20 June 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
- ^ Harding, Luke (30 April 2008). "Russia accuses Georgia of plans to invade breakaway region". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 8 May 2010.