The McCain Institute for International Leadership in cooperation with The Heritage Foundation and The Economic Policy Research Center has created two visualizations illustrating Russia’s policy of “borderization” in the occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia.
The policy of “borderization” started in 2011, three years after the war of 2008. According to a study by the Heritage Foundation, it’s being implemented by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) and local separatist forces in the occupied regions. 155 incidents have been reported so far.
“Borderization” includes constructing illegal fencing and earthen barriers to separate communities and the installation of “state border” signs. In some cases, Russia has taken even more territory in what can be described as a “creeping annexation”.
This practice is a clear violation of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It divides local families and communities which leads not only to human tragedy, but also decreases the possibility for future peaceful reintegration of these territories.
The above short video shows how “borderization” has evolved and increased since its beginning and this interactive timeline provides detailed information on each of the documnted incidents.