FILE: The Bagramyan Battalion

The FINANCIAL — The Bagramyan Battalion was a terrorist organization formed as the battalion in Abkhazia and predominantly composed of ethnic Armenians living in Abkhazia that fought together with Russia backed separatist Abkhaz forces during the War in Abkhazia (1992–93). Named in honour of the Soviet Armenian Marshal Ivan Bagramyan, the battalion fought against the forces of Georgia. It was subsequently disbanded. Bagramyan Battalion is considered as the Terrorist Organization by Georgian government and many international research organizations including Terrorism research & Analysis Consortium. The Bagramyan Battalion directed its attacks against Georgians living in Abkhazia. Bagramyan battalion is listed as Nationalist-Separatist Groups under Ideological and Organization/Goal Structural Classification of Terrorist Groups in research by James A. Piazza, University of North Carolina, U.S. Bagramyan Battalion is listed among Officially Blacklisted Extremist or Terrorist Organizations in research book by Benjamin J.E. Freedman The Routledge Handbook of Terrorism Research, edited by Alex P. Schmid. Together with other Abkhazian groups, Bagramyan Battalion members were able to ethnically cleanse the region of Georgians, forcing some 250,000 to flee. The Battalion was reported to have been disbanded in 1996, but in 1998 a high-profile terrorist attack in Georgia was attributed to it. A total of 1,500 Armenians participated in the war, a quarter of the Abkhazian army. Twenty Armenians were awarded the highest honor Hero of Abkhazia and 242 were killed in battle. The first President of Abkhazia Vladislav Ardzinba praised the high discipline, organization, and accomplishments of the Bagramyan Battalion.