Georgia’s national flag is flying at half-mast at state buildings today as the country commemorates the loss of Sokhumi, a main city in Georgia’s currently Russian-occupied Abkhazia region. 

Thirty years ago, on September 27, 1993, Sukhumi fell.

The war in Abkhazia started on August 14, 1992 and lasted for 13 months and 13 days. According to various data, the war claimed the lives of 10,000 to 30,000, and more than 300,000 were displaced.

The Abkhaz-Russian forces started attacks on the building of the Council of Ministers of Abkhazia early on September 27, 1993. They captured and killed Chairman Zhiuli Shartava, Sokhumi Mayor Guram Gabeskiria and 27 employees of the Council of Ministers.

Following its war in Georgia in 2008, Russia recognised the two Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali as independent states. However, this move has been joined only by Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria so far. The rest of the international community is unanimous that 20 percent of the Georgian territory is occupied by Russia.