Today Abkhazia is celebrating its main holiday - Independence Day, the 22nd anniversary of the Victory in the 1992-1993 Patriotic War.
There is no a family in the Republic, where the holiday is celebrated without a heavy heart. This day in a history of Abkhazia is the anniversary of the liberation of the capital of Abkhazia from Georgian troops. During the September 1993 attack, the battles for the Republic's capital Sukhum, which lasted 11 days, determined the overall outcome of the Patriotic war of Abkhazia.
September 30, 1993 the whole country was liberated from Georgian troops. Every year on this day, the veterans of the Georgian-Abkhazian recall those events, visiting the graves commemorating their fallen comrades.
By tradition, on September 30 in the capital of the Republic is held a parade, festivities on the seafront of the city of Sukhum, and throughout the country - celebrations.
As part of activities dedicated to this important date at 11:00 took place a solemn ceremony of laying wreaths and flowers at the memorial to fallen soldiers in the Park of Glory and then took place a military parade of the Defense Ministry troops and the 7th Russian military base deployed in Gudauta.
At 13:00 were laid flowers at the memorial complex of the first president of the Republic of Abkhazia Vladislav Ardzinba in the village of Eschera, Sukhum district.
At 15:00 took place a ceremony of laying flowers at the tomb of the second president of the Republic of Abkhazia Sergei Bagapsh in the village of Dzhgyarda, Ochamchira district.
In the evening, at 17:00 in the Abkhazian State Philharmonic Society will take place a solemn meeting and a concert dedicated to the 22nd anniversary of the Victory in the 1992 - 1993 Great Patriotic War of the Abkhaz people. After the official part it will take place a concert and the performance of the State Dancing Group of South Ossetia "Simd."
Events on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of the victory will continue theatrical performance with elements of reconstruction of the events of the Patriotic War of the 1992-1993 Abkhaz people, which will begin at 18:30 on Freedom Square in Sukhum.
The 1992-1993 Patriotic War of the Abkhaz people, which lasted 413 days, ended with a victory over the Georgian aggressor. On the Abkhaz side participated in the war to 12 thousand people.
According to the book of the candidate of history, military historian Valiko Pachulia " The 1992 – 1993 Georgian-Abkhazian war" were killed 1,392 fighters from Abkhazia, 106 - from Russia (without the republics of the North Caucasus), 133 - volunteers from the North Caucasus, 18 - from the CIS, Transnistria and Nagorno-Karabakh, 6 - from Turkey, 3 - from Syria, 1 - from Poland. 150 people are still listed the missing.
Hundreds of civilians - women, the elderly and children have become the victims of the bloody war. Only in a helicopter, downed by the Georgian guards over the village of Lata (Kodori gorge), December 14, 1992, 85 people were burned alive.
For courage and bravery shown in the battle, more than 6000 war veterans were presented high state awards, 360 soldiers awarded the title of Hero of Abkhazia, among them volunteers from South Ossetia.
