Yaganov's* comments on the Lata tragedy demonstrated his disappointment in the "Abkhaz project"

The argument that there were some military personnel on board the helicopter shot down over the village of Lata in 1992, in addition to civilians, does not negate the humanitarian nature of the flight, and Ibrahim Yaganov's* position on this issue is based on disappointment, analysts said. Yaganov* himself is not upset by the reaction to his words in Abkhazia.

As "Caucasian Knot" reported, the President of Abkhazia called Ibrahim Yaganov's* suggestion that the Russian helicopter carrying civilians shot down over the village of Lata could have been a military target blasphemy. The prosecutor's office reported on February 4 that it had begun an investigation. Yaganov* holds the title of Hero of Abkhazia.

Political and public figure, Hero of Abkhazia Ibrahim Yaganov* does not fear criminal proceedings will be instituted against him in Abkhazia for his comments about the Lata tragedy.

"I take threats to open a criminal case very calmly. I know who the Abkhaz authorities are. For me, there is a sharp division between the people of Abkhazia, Abkhazia itself, and the Abkhaz authorities. Unfortunately, over the past 34 years since the end of the war, the authorities have been unable to bear the burden of money, and, of course, the burden of power." "Therefore, the reactions of certain individuals in government structures, especially the so-called president—and I know for a fact that the Abkhazians didn't elect him; he was, as is customary in Russia, appointed by the Kremlin as an overseer—don't really concern me," he told the Caucasian Knot.

Regarding the downed helicopter, Yaganov* emphasizes that it was a great tragedy, but he stands by his words.

"Firstly, in every war there are certain war crimes that are then investigated and the perpetrators punished, but this doesn't apply to the Georgian-Abkhaz war. In this case, there were virtually no war crimes that were investigated. Secondly, at the time, they officially announced that a humanitarian helicopter had been shot down. I was in Abkhazia at the time and remember those events—which are a tragedy for any sane person, even for the soldier who fired at the helicopter. And then they announced that several soldiers were killed in that helicopter. "They were Vladimir Antsupov and Aslan Zantaria, I think. I don't know exactly how many there were, but these two were definitely there. Besides them, my comrade, my fellow countryman, a Kabardian named Pikaldiyev, died in that helicopter. He was also a soldier. That's a fact I know for sure," he explained. Yaganov* emphasized that these facts speak for themselves, as a humanitarian helicopter precludes any possibility of military personnel being on board. "I believe that humanitarian missions and humanitarian helicopters must be separated from military operations. There are strict rules, signed by international agreements and UN regulations, regarding the use of such humanitarian corridors. "Here the rule was grossly violated, and the Abkhaz authorities at the time framed these women and children who ended up on that helicopter," Yaganov* concluded.

Analysts reject Yaganov's arguments*

Anton Krivenyuk, a native of Abkhazia who conducted an expert analysis of Russian-Abkhaz relations from 2014 to 2020, disagrees with Ibrahim Yaganov*'s arguments.

"As far as I know, there could have been military personnel there, which doesn't change anything. The helicopter was overcrowded with civilians, mostly children and women, including pregnant women. Even if there were three, four, or five military personnel on board, it's perfectly clear to the Georgian side that the flight was carrying out a humanitarian mission, transporting people from the most vulnerable category of civilians who could not remain in the besieged city. "And in this sense, this is a very harsh, cruel crime against humanity, of course," he told the "Caucasian Knot." This tragedy occupies a key place in Abkhazia's historical and political discourse, Krivenyuk noted. "It is one of those that shapes modern Abkhaz political identity relative to everything that happened in the late 1990s, including the war. It is one of the most powerful, one of the main walls that separates both sides of the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict from the possibility of peaceful coexistence. This is truly a terrible tragedy, especially considering the small population. For every resident of Abkhazia, there were people there who were related to someone we knew, were close to, and so on. That is, this is a truly national tragedy, in the full sense of the word," he explained.

Yaganov's words, in his opinion, are the result of his disappointment with the "Abkhaz project." "Ibrahim is, generally speaking, a warrior, a good warrior, but then he became disillusioned with Abkhazia. That's not the only thing. We all expected something completely different from the "Abkhaz project"—not banditry, crime, drug addiction, cultural decay, and so on. Ibrahim was probably one of those who had inflated expectations. Besides, he has significant contacts with the Georgians. Apparently, he has reconsidered some of his fundamental positions," the analyst believes.

An Abkhazian political scientist, who wished to speak anonymously, also rejected Yaganov's arguments*. "Based on what I've read, I can say that there could not have been weapons in the helicopter, since it was flying from besieged Tkuarchal to Gudauta. There was a severe weapons shortage on the eastern front. Until almost the middle of the war, they fought mainly with what they had seized from the Georgians. So it's completely illogical to say they could have transported weapons from the eastern front to Gudauta. As for the military, there were, if I'm not mistaken, two or three soldiers in the helicopter. All the lists have been published, including these soldiers, and no one is hiding their names. The remaining 70 or so people, I think, were women and children. Therefore, it's strange to call this helicopter and its route a legitimate military target," he told the "Caucasian Knot."

For the Abkhazians, what happened on December 14, 1992, is a terrible trauma, a tragedy that embodies Georgia's attitude toward Abkhazia, he notes. "No one was punished, no one apologized, and the world turned a blind eye to this crime against humanity. Moreover, without going into details, they imposed sanctions on Abkhazia. "The failure to recognize this tragedy, the failure to recognize this crime, symbolizes the injustice of the international system and its double standards. This is precisely how it is treated here," the political scientist noted.

Yaganov*, in his opinion, is respected only for his past military service. "But this is not the first time he has made, to put it mildly, controversial statements. He cannot be called an analyst. And it is perplexing that, despite so many important processes taking place in the world, he invariably returns to discussing the Abkhaz issue. And in this case, what he claims regarding the downed helicopter is an attempt to whitewash Georgia," he emphasized.

Yaganov* may lose his title of Hero of Abkhazia

Secretary of the Abkhazian Security Council Raul Lolua called Yaganov*'s words an attempt to eliminate the republic's sovereignty and independence. "The title of Hero of Abkhazia is a lifelong oath, a vow to defend the republic whose independence and sovereignty it symbolizes. It's not just a reward for the past; it's a permanent status that imposes the highest moral responsibility for life. You bear the title, and you are obligated to set an example. It's especially cynical and painful when a person awarded this high honor for heroism in war uses his authority to promote ideas that lead to the very liquidation of Abkhazia's sovereignty and independence. He turns a symbol of honor into a weapon against the country for which he fought. This isn't just a contradiction; it's a profound insult to the memory of all who gave their lives for our republic. Yesterday's heroism cannot serve as a justification for today's betrayal," he stated.

The Prosecutor General's Office of Abkhazia told the Caucasian Knot that the investigation into Yaganov's* allegations has not yet been completed. "The investigation is ongoing." "You will definitely find out the results," a representative of the department told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

An Abkhaz lawyer, who wished to remain anonymous, is confident that a criminal case will be opened against Ibragim Yaganov* - under the article on justifying terrorism and, possibly, under the article on disclosing information constituting a military secret. "A case could be opened under Article 273 of the Criminal Code of Abkhazia for disclosing military secrets, as well as for justifying the actions of terrorists under Article 198 of the Criminal Code of Abkhazia. He could also be stripped of his title of hero," he told the "Caucasian Knot."

* are listed as foreign agents.

** Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) is banned in Russia.