Chronology: Georgian-Ossetian conflict

by (incomplete)

Published: Saturday August 23, 2008

1920s-80s

Most majority-Ossetian areas south of the Greater Caucasus Mountains become the South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast within Soviet Georgia. Dissent, including ethnic grievances, are kept tightly in check.

1990-92

As Soviet Union collapses, Ossetians demand greater rights. Georgia's newly elected nationalist leadership of Zviad Gamsakhurdia instead abolishes the autonomy altogether and sends armed Georgian units into the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali, resulting in atrocities. Georgian forces are eventually forced out of Tskhinvali and Georgia agrees to a Russian-mediated cease-fire, acquiescing to a loss of control over much of South Ossetia.

1992-2004

With the cease-fire patrolled by a small Russian peacekeeping contingent and the Georgian government bankrupt, relative normalcy returns to Ossetian-Georgian relations. In the mid-1990s, Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze meets his South Ossetian counterpart and negotiates a partial return of refugees. Ethnic Ossetians return to live and work in Georgian towns and Georgians return to live and work Tskhinvali. A large black market springs up at a Georgian village near Tskhinvali.

2004-2008

Mikheil Saakashvili is elected president of Georgia after overthrowing Mr. Shevardnadze through street protests and pledges to return control over South Ossetia and another breakaway former Georgian autonomy, Abkhazia.

With help from the U.S. and Europe, Mr. Saakashvili begins to build up the Georgian army - with the country's military budget reaching $1 billion in 2007 - and increases pressure on both Abkhazia and South Ossetia, including fighting around Tskhinvali in summer 2004 involving mortars that claimed dozens of lives. At the same time, Georgia seeks Western support and makes joining NATO one of its major foreign policy goals and provides one of the largest contingents in support of U.S. forces in Iraq.
Meanwhile, Russia raises its profile in the long-neglected breakaway republics, extending Russian citizenship to their residents, and serving as their only conduit to the outside world. Russian leaders say they view NATO expansion into Georgia and, another former Soviet republic, Ukraine, as a hostile act.
Through spring 2008, a number of incidents take place in Abkhazia, where Georgia launched unmanned spy planes, which Abkhaz begin to shoot down with Russian help. By summer 2008, Georgia switches its attention back to South Ossetia.

Run-up to war

June 14 - For the first time in four years, Georgian forces launch mortar fire on Tskhinvali. One person is killed and several are wounded. Russian and European mediators are unable to determine who was to blame for the incident.

June 24 - The Georgian parliament approves the government's decision to reverse an earlier military spending cut and increases its military budget back to near the 2007 level of about $1 billion.

July 3-4 - More bombings and exchanges of fire occur, including with the use of mortars and grenade launchers, with several more people reported killed in and around Tskhinvali. The sides blame each other. Georgians force Russian peacekeepers from one of the heights near Tskhinvali. Ossetians lambast Russian peacekeepers for failing to maintain peace and begin to mobilize forces and establish defense fortifications.

July 9 - Russia acknowledges its combat plane flew over Georgia, as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visits Tbilisi and tells Georgians that the United States "always fights for [its] friends."

August 1-2 - More Georgian mortar shelling of Tskhinvali leaves 6 dead and 21 wounded; the Georgian government member in charge of South Ossetia / Abkhazia policy arrives in Tskhinvali on August 2 for a meeting with South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity. Following that meeting, Ossetians begin large-scale evacuation of women and children from Tskhinvali to Russia.

August 7 - Georgia's artillery, including large-caliber howitzers and multiple-launch rocket systems, begin to position around Tskhinvali. After intense shelling throughout the day, Mr. Saakashvili in an evening televised addresses promises to cease fire as Georgian armored and mechanized units begin to move towards South Ossetia.

How the "4-day" Ossetian war unfolded Some of the main developments

Friday, August 8

00:00 - Shortly before midnight Georgia's Gen. Mamuka Kurashvili calls commander of 500 Russian peacekeepers Gen. Marat Kulahmetov to tell him that Tbilisi is about to begin an operation to "restore constitutional order" in South Ossetia and urges his forces to stay out of fighting.

Georgian artillery opens massive fire on the town of Tskhinvali and other areas of South Ossetia; the fire from howitzers acquired in Ukraine and Lar-160 Multiple-Launch Rocket Systems made in Israel continues through the morning.

01:00 - Georgian forces advance north through South Ossetia's ethnic Georgian enclaves in an effort to interdict the Roki tunnel - the area's only land connection with Russia. The move is anticipated by Ossetians, who deploy the bulk of their force to protect the Roki tunnel and the town of Java, leaving their capital of Tskhinvali sparsely defended.

[By August 9-10 this Georgian force was surrounded and largely destroyed by Russians and Ossetian forces; days later Georgian leaders admitted they were "too late" in reaching the Roki tunnel and that they underestimated Ossetian and Russian deployments in that area.]

02:00 - Georgian police spokesperson tells journalists that "Georgian [ground] attack is underway, clashes are taking place outside Tskhinvali"; Ossetians confirm engaging Georgian forces, who are using dozens of tanks and armored vehicles supplied by Ukraine and Turkey and equipped with night-vision equipment supplied by the U.S., Israel, and Ukraine. The Georgians begin to overwhelm a smaller and lightly armed Ossetian self-defense.