Minister for Defence of Abkhazia

The office of Minister for Defence (Abkhazian: атәыла хьчара аминистр, Georgian: თავდაცვის მინისტრი, Russian: министр обороны) has been one of the most important in the breakaway Republic of Abkhazia[1] due to the ongoing conflict with Georgia.[2] The position was created 11 October 1992, shortly after the outbreak of the 1992-1993 war with Georgia. The first Minister for Defence was Vladimir Arshba, but due to his injuries for most of the time his functions were carried out by Deputy Minister for Defence and Chief of the General Staff Sultan Sosnaliev, who eventually also formally succeeded Arshba on 25 April 2003. Sosnaliev oversaw Abkhazia's successful expulsion of Georgian forces and remained Defence Minister until on 1 July 1996 he resigned to return to his native Kabardia.

Minister for Defence of the Republic of Abkhazia
Incumbent
Mirab Kishmaria
since 26 June 2007
AppointerPresident of Abkhazia
Term lengthunrestricted
Inaugural holderVladimir Arshba
Formation11 October 1992
Websitehttp://mdapsny.org/news/?page=3

Sosnaliev's successor was Vladimir Mikanba, who held the position during the May 1998 war in the Gali district and the October 2001 incursion of Chechen fighters down the Kodori valley.

Mikanba was succeeded by Raul Khajimba, who would go on to become Prime Minister, and who is the current Vice President of Abkhazia. 22 April 2003, when Khajimba became Prime Minister, Viacheslav Eshba became Minister for Defence. On 8 November 2004, during the height of the crisis following the 2004 Presidential election, a source within the government claimed that Eshba had been replaced by Mukhamed Kilba, the deputy chief of Khajimba's presidential campaign, but this was denied by Prime Minister Nodar Khashba.[3]

On 25 February 2005, newly elected Predident Sergei Bagapsh called on Sultan Sosnaliev to become Defence Minister once more. Sosnaliev agreed and held the office until shortly after his 65th birthday on 8 May 2007 he resigned for personal reasons.[4]

26 June 2007 then Deputy Defence Minister Mirab Kishmaria was appointed Sosnaliev's successor. During the August 2008 war in South Ossetia, he oversaw the Abkhazian conquest of so-called Upper Abkhazia, the only part of Abkhazia that had remained under Georgian control since the 1992-1993 war. Kishmaria remains Minister of Defence until the present day.

List of people to hold the office
No. Portrait Name
(Born-Died)		 Term Government Ref.
Took office Left office Duration
1
Vladimir Arshba
(1959–2018)		11 October 199225 April 1993196 daysArdzinba[2]
2
Sultan Sosnaliyev
(1942–2008)		25 April 19931 July 19963 years, 67 daysArdzinba[2]
3
Vladimir Mikanba
(1931–2010)		1 July 19969 December 20026 years, 161 daysArdzinba[5]
4
Raul Khajimba
(born 1958)		9 December 200222 April 2003134 daysArdzinba[5]
5
Viacheslav Eshba
(born 1949)		22 April 200325 February 20051 year, 309 daysArdzinba[5][6]
(2)
Sultan Sosnaliyev
(1942–2008)		25 February 20058 May 20072 years, 72 daysBagapsh[7][4]
6
Mirab Kishmaria
(born 1961)		26 June 2007Incumbent12 years, 365 daysBagapsh
Ankvab
Khajimba		[8]

See also

References
  1. Abkhazia is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Abkhazia and Georgia. The Republic of Abkhazia unilaterally declared independence on 23 July 1992, but Georgia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory. Abkhazia has received formal recognition as an independent state from 7 out of 193 United Nations member states, 1 of which have subsequently withdrawn their recognition.
  2. "Полководец Султан Сосналиев". Администрация Президента Республики Абхазия. Archived from the original on 11 December 2008. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
  3. "Премьер-министр Абхазии не подтвердил назначение нового министра обороны непризнанной республики". Кавказский узел. 8 November 2004. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
  4. "Министр обороны Абхазии ушел в отставку". Администрация Президента Республики Абхазия. 8 May 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
  5. "Регистрация средства массовой информации Эл №77 - 8262". Секретные материалы России. Archived from the original on 26 May 2008. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
  6. "Указ Президента Абхазии №1 от 14.02.2005". Администрация Президента Республики Абхазия. 14 February 2005. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2008.
  7. "Указ Президента Абхазии №26 от 25.02.2005". Администрация Президента Республики Абхазия. 25 February 2005. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
  8. "Мераб Кишмария назначен на должность Министра обороны Республики Абхазия". Администрация Президента Республики Абхазия. 26 June 2007. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
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