Timeless Turmoil : A Comparative History of the Conflicts in Kosovo, Abkhazia, and the Tskhinvali Region.

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Timeless Turmoil: -- A Comparative History of the Conflicts in Kosovo,Abkhazia, and the Tskhinvali Region -- Kakhaber Kalichava -- Timeless Turmoil: -- A Comparative History of the Conflicts in Kosovo, Abkhazia, and the Tskhinvali Region -- Kakhaber Kalichava -- Academica PressWashington~London -- / -- In loving memory of my father, Gocha Kalichava, whose love and guidance remain with me always. Beyond being an incredible father, he was a participant in the war in Abkhazia (1992-1993). His first-hand experiences deeply shaped my understanding, especially in the sections on military operations. This book is a tribute to his legacy, courage, and lasting influence on my life. -- Contents -- Acknowledgments xi -- Introduction xiii -- Bibliographical and Historiographical Review xvii -- Chapter OneFrom Antiquity to Upheaval: A comparative study of theevolution of conflicts in Kosovo, Abkhazia, and theTskhinvali region (antiquity to the 19th century) 1 -- 1. Kosovo from antiquity to the 19th century 1 -- 2. Abkhazia from antiquity to the 19th century 11 -- 3. Tskhinvali region from antiquity to the 19th century 24 -- 4. Echoes of history: Comparing Kosovo, Abkhaziaand the Tskhinvali region, from antiquity to the 19th century 34 -- Chapter TwoBoundaries of Change: A Comparative Study of NationalMovements and Imperial Legacies in Kosovo, Abkhazia,and the Tskhinvali Region from the 1800s-1910s 41 -- 1. Kosovo from the 1800s to 1918 41 -- 2. Abkhazia from the 1800s to 1921 48 -- 3. The Tskhinvali region from the 1800s to 1922 59 -- 4. Unraveling Historical Dynamics: Comparing NationalAspirations and Imperial Control in the Balkans and Caucasus 67 -- Chapter ThreeInternational Crossroads and the Soviet ethnic tensions:Comparative study of shaping modern conflicts in Kosovo,Abkhazia, and the Tskhinvali region during 1920's-1980's. 73.

1. Kosovo 1918-1991 73 -- 2. Abkhazia from 1921 to 1991 86 -- 3. Tskhinvali Region - The AutonomousDistrict of South Ossetia, 1922-1991 99 -- 4. A Comparative Analysis of Political Turmoil in Kosovo,Abkhazia, and the Tskhinvali Region: International crossroadsand the Soviet ethnic tensions from the 1920s to the 1980s. 106 -- Chapter FourCross-Border Conflict Analysis: A comparative study of Kosovo, Abkhazia, and the Tskhinvali Region from the 1990's onward 113 -- 1. Kosovo in the late 20th century: From themilitary-political turmoil to the emergence of the KFOR 113 -- 2. Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region in the 1990s 130 -- 3. Contrasting Political Trajectories: Kosovo,Abkhazia, and the Tskhinvali region since the 1990s 173 -- Conclusion 187 -- Appendices 211 -- Bibliography 245 -- Acknowledgments -- I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Professor Teimuraz Papaskiri, who served as my supervisor throughout my decade-long journey at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, from 2009 to 2019. His unwavering support and guidance were instrumental in nurturing my academic curiosity and navigating the challenges I faced, from my bachelor's studies to the completion of my Ph.D. -- I extend my heartfelt thanks to the esteemed members of my doctoral committee, particularly Professor Zurab Papaskiri, for their insightful remarks during my Ph.D. defense on July 2, 2019, at Ivane Javakishvili Tbilisi State University. Their feedback, especially concerning the medieval history of Abkhazia, greatly aided me in shaping the historiographical landscape of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict from both Georgian and Abkhaz perspectives in my work.

Special thanks are due to Professor Przemysław Żurawski vel Grajewski, who enriched my research during my one-year exchange program at the University of Łódź, Poland, from 2016 to 2017. His insights and expert opinions significantly enhanced my understanding of Russian foreign policy studies, and our discussions played a crucial role in shaping my perspectives on Russia's actions in its near abroad. -- Lastly, I wish to acknowledge Katie Ruth Davies, who meticulously polished the English translation of my book. Her support was invaluable in finalizing my work, and I am grateful for her assistance throughout this process. -- Introduction -- The end of the 20th century bore witness to pivotal events in global politics. Foremost among these was the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), which gave birth to fifteen new sovereign states and instigated shifts in governance within the "people's democracies" of Eastern Europe. -- While the Soviet Empire met its demise, the preservation of influence within the post-Soviet realm became a primary tenet of foreign policy for its legal successor, the Russian Federation. Presently, the Kremlin persists in employing well-established imperial methodologies to advance this objective. A salient and compelling illustration of such strategies materialized in the events orchestrated by the Russian Federation in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia (Abkhazia) and Tskhinvali. These action -- Similar to the USSR's dissolution, the Yugoslav Federation, comprising Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, ceased to exist in 1991, precipitating manifold conflicts within its former territories. Of particular note is the Kosovo conflict between the Serbs and Albanians.

On February 17, 2008, Kosovo declared independence unilaterally, a move unendorsed by the United Nations Security Council and later supported by the major Western powers. This act served as yet another contentious point between Russia and the West. For the Kremlin, historically positioned as the guardian of Balkan Christianity, acknowledgment of Kosovo's independence directly correlated with the erosion of its regional influence and the promotion of Western political hegemony in the Balkans. In -- According to the insights of American diplomat and political analyst Ronald Asmus, a mere four days after Kosovo's declaration of independence, a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Mikheil Saakashvili revealed Putin's explicit articulation of Russian intentions in Georgia. Putin issued a direct threat to the President of Georgia: "There is an urgent need to react to what has happened in Europe on Kosovo. We are currently thinking about how to deal with this problem. You will remember that we are -- Putin framed the West's sanctioning of support for Kosovo's independence as the opening of "Pandora's box," questioning the justification for Kosovo's independence while denying the same possibility in the Caucasus region (Davydova, 2008). This perspective fueled Russia's actions aimed at safeguarding Serbia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, albeit at the expense of undermining fundamental principles crucial to the statehood of Georgia.

Given the stated considerations and the fact that "there is always a Russian way to look at a situation" (Pomerantsev, 2014, 16), it becomes evident how Russia strategically leveraged Kosovo's declaration of independence to bolster its influence within the post-Soviet sphere. This book provides a comparative analysis rooted in historical inquiry, scrutinizing Kosovo, Abkhazia, and the Tskhinvali region through diverse documentary sources and pertinent scholarship. This examination seeks to eluci -- Examination of the historical-comparative analysis of the conflict regions of Kosovo, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali requires an exploration of the distinct chronological facets. Evidently, the salience of this issue surged subsequent to Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence, rendering it the most pertinent post-Soviet and contemporary political context concerning the research theme. Nonetheless, a comprehensive exploration demands a deep-dive into the historical past, encompassing pivotal epochs. -- The research employs a retrospective, multifaceted, and comparative approach within the realm of historical cognition. A well-known methodology is applied when handling sources and documents, involving their identification, selection, authentication, and cross-referencing with other sources to ascertain factual accuracy. -- Particularly when investigating contemporary periods, prevalent methodologies in political science, such as content analysis, intent analysis, event analysis, and cognitive mapping, are integrated into the research framework.

This book represents the inaugural monographic exploration within historiography that undertakes a historical-comparative analysis of Kosovo and the breakaway regions of Georgia, drawing from historical materials and scholarly literature in the Georgian, Russian, and English languages. The primary contribution lies in designating their shared and distinctive historical traits. This constitutes the primary novelty of the work.