Post-Soviet Georgia and Precedents of Hard Power

Abstract

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the emergence of new independent states in the post-Soviet space was accompanied by the intensification of ethno-political conflicts. In this space, the Caucasus is the most diverse region in terms of culture and ethno-confession. Three ethno-political conflicts have arisen here - the Armenian-Azerbaijani, Georgian-Abkhazian, and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts. The Caucasus is a place of interest for global and regional players, and these conflicts can be considered as a part of a large geopolitical game, and the parties to the conflict are pawns of these players. The competition between the great powers also determines the maneuvering of the ruling elites of the Caucasian countries. They set the elites of these countries against each other in the global game in order to pursue their interests. For centuries, Georgia, due to its geostrategic location, has been and continues to be an object of interest for Russia and other major powers. Therefore, it is important to analyze ethno-political conflicts and the 2008 war as a precedent for the manifestation of hard power concerning Georgia.