On 11 May 1918, the Republic of the Union of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus declared its independence.

You may consult the meeting minutes from the link below of the Batum Conference, which convened on that day and did not reconvene thereafter. Additionally, a copy of the independence declaration by the North Caucasian delegates is available. Initially, their objective was to establish a Greater Caucasian Confederation; however, they ultimately proclaimed an independent state. 

The early 20th century witnessed a mosaic of tumultuous events reshaping the geopolitical landscape of the Caucasus, among which the 1918 occupation of Abkhazia by Georgian forces under General Giorgi Mazniashvili (Mazniev) stands out as a pivotal moment. This incursion not only altered the course of Abkhazian history but also cast a long shadow over the region's future relations and the legacy of a controversial figure.

In this profound exploration, Dr. Khristofor Goniadis-Kesanidis delves into the historical narrative of the Greeks in Abkhazia, a subject marked by depth and complexity. The article, "Repression of Greeks in Abkhazia," presents a detailed account of the Greeks as an integral part of Abkhazia's cultural and social fabric, tracing their contributions from the late 19th century through the tumultuous era of the Soviet Union.

Academy of Sciences of Abkhazia

Abkhaz Institute of Humanitarian Research Named after D.I. Gulia, AbIGI 2022

Аҧсуаҭҵаара / Abkhaz Studies. No.12. Sukhum. 2022. pp. 99-111

 The article is also available in PDF format in both Russian (original) and English.

Doukas (c. 1400 – after 1462), a Byzantine historian who flourished under Constantine XI Palaiologos, the last Byzantine Emperor, reported in his work "History of Byzantium" that before the Battle of Ankara in 1402, the famous medieval commander Timur (Tamerlane) journeyed from Persia to the regions of the Don. There, he gathered the Scythians along with the Zykhians (Circassians) and Abasgians (Abkhazians).

Doukas writes ("Doukas, The Decline and Fall of Byzantium to the Ottoman Turks," translated by Harry J. Magoulias, Wayne State University Press, 1975, p.90):