Mounting tensions can be felt between Russia and Georgia after sunday’s event in which a Georgian spy drone was supposedly shot down by a russian Mig fighter jet.
The incident took place in disputed region near the black sea called the Abkhazia region that has been witness to a number of growing territorial conflicts since the region pulled itself away from Georgian influence. Indeed although this region has declared its independance since 1992 it is still not recognized by the international community, very much like South Osetia, which deems it part of Georgia.
Both of these territories are called ‘breakaway’ regions because of their uncertain territorial destiny.
If the Abkhaz rebels fight for their independance, Russia on the other hand is always eager to downturn Georgia’s influence in the region. As such the region remains divided between two rival authorities, with over 80% of its territory governed by Russian back seperatist government and the rest governed by what Georgia calls the ‘legal authority’ of Abkhazia. Since the armed conflict opposing Georgia and Abkhaz rebels led to Georgia’s defeat back in the 90’s, UN peace keepers as well as a large contingency of Russian peacekeeping troops have been present in the region. The situation remains gridlocked and has been for the better part of the past 15 years with Russia and Gerogia actively trying to underscore each other’s influence in the region at every chance they get.
The incident that took place on sunday brings into the light the fragile peacekeeping balance in a region with no real terriorial sovereignty. With the Georgian’s accusing the Russians, the Russians denying and the Abkhaz rebels claiming they shot the drone down, it’s on for a game of Twist. Now accusations are flying ; a video of the drone being shot down can be found everywhere on the net, and especially on youtube. Russians want to know what a drone was doing over a conflict zone ; Georgia wants to know why a russian jet fighter was invading Georgian airspace and it goes on and on and on…
Today Moscow claims Georgia is on the brink of war, amassing troops by the border, a claim that Tiblisi strongly denies. With the Russians and the Georgians not agreeing on borders and with the international community supporting each other’s sovereignty what was a game of Twister just may well become a game of Risk.