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Vladimir ArshbaAbkhazian statesman, political and military figure
Date of Birth: 08.05.1959
Country:  Dive |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Military Career
- Role in the Georgian-Abkhazian War
- Minister of Defense and Later Career
- Political Career and Recognition
Early Life and Education
Ruslan Kishmaria, a pivotal figure in Abkhazian history, was born into a military family in Tbilisi, Georgia, in 1955. His father was Abkhazian, while his mother was Georgian. In 1976, Kishmaria completed high school in Tbilisi.
Military Career
In 1980, Kishmaria graduated from the Tbilisi Higher Artillery Command Military School. He served in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany and participated in the Panjshir Operation in 1982, where he was wounded twice.
From 1988, Kishmaria served in the Armenian SSR, participating in the aftermath of the Spitak earthquake. He later served in the Abkhazian ASSR and became the military commissar of the city of Tkuarchal.
Role in the Georgian-Abkhazian War
In 1992, Kishmaria played a crucial role in the Georgian-Abkhazian war. He commanded a battalion engaged in the defense of the Inguri River. As the war progressed, he rose to the position of commander of the Abkhazian Armed Forces. In November 1992, he suffered a serious injury.
Minister of Defense and Later Career
In 1993, Kishmaria was appointed Minister of Defense of Abkhazia. Due to health reasons, he stepped down from this position in April 1993 but remained an advisor to the Chairman of the Supreme Council on military matters. He later served as military commissar of Abkhazia and Chief of the General Staff of the Abkhazian Armed Forces.
Political Career and Recognition
In 2004, Kishmaria ran for the post of Vice President of Abkhazia. In 2007, he became the leader of the "Aruaa" ("Warrior") movement and chairman of the Abkhazian Association of Internationalist Soldiers.
In 2008, Kishmaria was appointed advisor to the President of Abkhazia on military matters. From 2009 to 2015, he served as head of the State Migration Service. Kishmaria is widely respected as a Hero of Abkhazia and has received numerous awards, including the Order of Leon and the Jubilee Medal "Ten Years of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic."
