| NATO will help Georgia blockade Abkhaz waters By mid-April, Greece will transfer to Georgia as a grant a small missile ship, which in terms of combat capabilities has never been equal in the Georgian naval defense forces. As a representative of the Georgian military fleet, captain of the second rank Joni Rukhadze, told VN, the ship with a displacement of up to 400 tons is equipped with the most modern weapons with a target engagement range of up to 120 kilometers. The Georgian crew of 40 military sailors is currently undergoing training in Greece. The cost of the future flagship of the Georgian Navy, consisting of 19 ships, is 22 million euros.
The name of the Greek gift is very symbolic - “Dioscuria”. This is the first name Sukhumi received by the Abkhaz capital 25 centuries ago. As is known, the Georgian military received an order from President Mikheil Saakashvili to block unauthorized access of ships to the ports of the unrecognized Republic of Abkhazia. Since the beginning of the year, six violating vessels have already been detained. At the end of February, Georgian ships arrested and escorted to Poti a seiner that was flying either Russian or Ukrainian flags. The Abkhaz authorities claim that they will engage in a naval battle with the Georgians if such “piracy” occurs again. “We will take all measures, including opening fire to kill,” the head of the Abkhaz security service, Lieutenant General Givi Agrba, told VN.
However, NATO is helping Georgia more and more actively. Georgian naval personnel are trained in Greece and Turkey. By the end of the year, Joni Rukhadze promises to fully staff the naval defense forces with contract soldiers according to North Atlantic Alliance standards. Already in August, Dioscuria will take part in exercises of the fleets of the Black Sea countries under NATO supervision. The details of the maneuvers will be discussed by the commanders of the navies of six countries, including Russia, at a conference in Tbilisi on April 6-7.
It is noticeable that the new authorities are very concerned about the country’s defense. On Wednesday night, Mikheil Saakashvili unexpectedly inspected the famous Tbilisi 8th Regiment, which was the core of the Transcaucasian formation of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. Just 18 minutes later, instead of the required half hour, the military personnel appeared before the Supreme Commander-in-Chief in full readiness. “All of our armed forces, in half an hour to an hour maximum, with equipment and weapons, must be ready to carry out any military mission in any region,” the president said. Attitudes towards the army in Georgia are changing. To begin with, the first reservists will be ministers and other government officials who will go to training camp in the summer. The defense budget is planned to be tripled - to 2% of GDP. Mikhail VIGNANSKY, Tbilisi |
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