Navy Commander Alexander Voinsky: An Officer’s Life and the Breaking of the Naval Blockade, by Aslan Kobakhia

Alexander Voinsky returned to Abkhazia during the war and became one of its leading naval commanders. In this personal tribute, Aslan Kobakhia recalls the officer known affectionately as “San Sanych” and his daring role in escorting a Turkish cargo ship through the naval blockade in 1996, when the sea remained Abkhazia’s last lifeline.

People of many different nationalities took part in our armed resistance. Among them were many local Russian volunteers who stood ready to defend Abkhazia to the death. They served across all units, from the medical services to the infantry.

As far as I know, Alexander Voinsky lived and worked in the Russian Far East before the war. When tragedy struck his homeland, he returned to Abkhazia without hesitation and became one of the leaders of its navy. I had, of course, heard of the exploits of our courageous sailors, but those stories should be told by the people who witnessed them.

Our republic is home to many ethnic Russians who are highly respected within our society. They include doctors, teachers, scientists, military personnel, members of the security services, war veterans, and public and state figures. I would go further: among us are Abkhazians of Russian ancestry — the Yermolovs, the Treshchevs and the Ivanovs — who are more Abkhazian than many of those who beat their chests proclaiming their patriotism.

Outstanding individuals such as Yuri Voronov, Alexander Voinsky, Vladimir Baranov, Irina Zavyalova, Alexander Zhuk and many other veterans are a source of pride for our multinational people.

San Sanych

In early 1996, the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States imposed a crippling blockade on Abkhazia. The Psou border crossing had virtually ceased to function. The country’s only remaining lifeline was the sea route to Turkey.

At Shevardnadze’s insistence, Russian warships began blocking the sea routes to Abkhazia as well. The threat of starvation became very real: some were intent on starving Abkhazia into submission.

At this difficult moment, Vladislav Ardzinba took a desperate step. He ordered the commander of the navy, Captain First Rank Alexander Alexandrovich Voinsky, to put a boarding party aboard a Turkish cargo ship blockaded by Russian warships and ensure its passage into the port of Sukhum.

Led by San Sanych — the affectionate name first used by his sailors and later adopted by the wider public — the Abkhaz boarding party reached the Turkish vessel in a fast boat and boarded it. The ship then headed towards its destination. Russian military personnel began demanding over the radio that the cargo ship stop immediately. From that moment, Voinsky handled the radio exchanges himself. His words were roughly as follows:

“I am Captain First Rank Voinsky, Commander of the Abkhazian Navy. On the orders of Vladislav Ardzinba, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Abkhazia, I am escorting this vessel into the port of Sukhum. Any action you take against us is unlawful and illegal!”

The Russians responded with threats: unless he obeyed their order, they would open fire to destroy the vessel. As these threats continued, accompanied by warning shots from the Russian warships, the vessels appeared on the horizon. From the shore, people could see the Turkish ship approaching the port, hemmed in by Russian warships on either side.

After another warning salvo, San Sanych told the Russian military:

“I am an Abkhazian officer and an ethnic Russian. I will not fire on you. If you wish, you may kill us… But before you do, I advise you to take a good look at the situation on shore!”

By then, a large number of Abkhaz armoured vehicles and artillery pieces had been brought to the coast. Warning shots were fired in response.

Eventually, the Russian warships were forced to leave Abkhazia’s territorial waters, and the Turkish cargo ship docked safely. Thousands of people who had watched the drama unfold greeted San Sanych and his men with applause.

The following day, a large delegation of Russian generals arrived in Abkhazia for talks with Vladislav Grigoryevich Ardzinba. Yet until this incident, Russia’s senior leadership had issued instructions that even his telephone calls were to go unanswered.

The blockade had been broken! It was thanks to people as fearless as San Sanych that our long-suffering people endured.

Alexander Alexandrovich Voinsky, Hero of Abkhazia, died suddenly on 28 January 2012, aged 65.

Eternal remembrance, eternal glory!

Aslan Kobakhia, Hero of Abkhazia and veteran of the Patriotic War of the People of Abkhazia, 1992–1993.

Alexander Alexandrovich Voinsky: Biographical Note

Alexander Alexandrovich Voinsky (26 December 1946, Tuapse, Krasnodar Territory — 28 January 2012, Sukhum) was a Hero of Abkhazia (1994) and a captain first rank.

He graduated from Secondary School No. 7 in Sukhum in 1965. From 1976 to 1979, he studied navigation at the Batumi Maritime College.

Between 1979 and 1981, he worked as a chief officer with the Sakhalin Shipping Company. From 1981 to 1983, he captained a research vessel for the Institute of Water Problems of the USSR Academy of Sciences. From 1983 to 1993, he served as a cargo ship captain with the Murmansk Shipping Company.

Following the outbreak of the Patriotic War of the People of Abkhazia of 1992–1993, he returned to Abkhazia. In February 1993, he assumed command of the Gudauta Squadron of the Republic of Abkhazia’s navy. Under his leadership, the squadron protected the republic’s sea routes, prevented amphibious landings by Georgian forces and countered the movement of enemy reinforcements by sea. During operations to blockade Sukhum Airport and Sukhum Bay, the squadron intercepted several Georgian transport vessels and brought them to Gudauta.

For successfully carrying out the amphibious landing near the village of Tamysh during the Abkhaz army’s July offensive in 1993, Voinsky was promoted to captain second rank. In 1996, he was promoted to captain first rank following another successful combat operation.

From January 1993 to 2001, Voinsky served as commander of the Republic of Abkhazia’s navy.

He developed a number of ways to equip the small vessels that formed the backbone of the Abkhazian Navy with weaponry, including the installation of multiple-launch rocket systems. He also established the navy’s combat diver unit. He retired from naval service in 2001.

From 2005 to January 2012, he served as Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Abkhazia. 

On 11 January 2012, he was transferred to work at the seaport in recognition of his professional maritime expertise.

He died suddenly in Sukhum on 28 January 2012. On 31 January, he was buried with military honours at Mikhailovskoye Cemetery in Sukhum.