Russia's post-Soviet Military Engagements beyond Its Borders

Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia has sent troops into several neighboring states that it considers as its sphere of influence, including a brief 2008 war with Georgia and an ongoing deployment in the breakaway Moldovan region of Transdniestr.

Russia views these military actions as peacekeeping operations.

Georgia:

Spiralling Russian-Georgian tensions over Tbilisi's pro-Western orientation culminated in a brief war in August 2008.

Russia had for years previously trained and equipped troops in two Georgian separatist regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

It had also set up paramilitary forces -- or "self-defence squads" -- that were involved in armed provocations against Georgian security personnel and civilians to provoke Tbilisi's military response.

Then Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili launched a large-scale operation on August 8, 2008, against South Ossetian forces that were shelling ethnic Georgian villages in the region.

This was used by Russia as a pretext to invade and occupy swathes of the Georgian territory.

In autumn 2008 Russia recognized both secessionist territories as independent states and stationed permanent military bases there, but withdrew from Georgia proper.

According to recent Georgian intelligence data, 7th Military Base of the Russian armed forces in Abkhazia has some 3,500 troops, 150 T-90 tanks, Grad multiple rocket launchers, and two batteries of the S-300 long range surface-to-air missile systems, a former senior security official in Tbilisi told Agence France Presse.

In terms of equipment and combat-readiness, "it is one of, if not the best military units in the whole Russian military," the former official said.

Several small vessels of the Russian Black Sea fleet permanently patrol Abkhazia's coast.

In South Ossetia, the Russian army's 4th Military Base includes some 3,500 troops, 150 T-72 tanks, and Grad rocket launchers.

In addition, both regions' de facto borders are protected by the Border Service of Russia -- a branch of the Federal Security Service, formerly known as KGB. There are some 2,000 Russian border guards in Abkhazia and 1,000 in South Ossetia.

In the last several months, Russian border guards stepped up installation of barbed wire fences along the boundary between South Ossetia and adjacent regions of Georgia. The move is damaging to the local population and sparked condemnation from Tbilisi, EU leaders, and U.S. President Barack Obama.

Transdniestr:

Moldova's Russian-speaking separatist region of Transdniestr broke free of Chisinau after a brief civil war in 1991-1992 that cost some 700 lives.

Russia deployed more than 3,000 troops there as peacekeepers and they enforced a ceasefire.

Russian peacekeepers are still involved and stationed in the largely lawless region despite Moldova's calls for them to withdraw.

The separatist pro-Russian government is not recognized internationally and is opposed by largely Romanian-speaking Moldova in a frozen conflict.

Russia has not met long-standing pledges to withdraw its soldiers from Moldova, which it committed to do in 1999. Russia also keeps a large amount of armaments there.

According to the Russian defense ministry's website, there are currently around 400 Russian troops carrying out peacekeeping duties there.

Tajikistan:

Russia already had troops stationed in Tajikistan when its bitter civil war blew up in 1992 after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Moscow cast its role as only peacekeeping and protecting refugees, but it backed the current regime of President Emomali Rakhmonov against the pro-Islamic opposition.

Russia formally sent peacekeepers there in 1992 along with those of other former Soviet states. Forces loyal to Rakhmonov eventually won in 1993 after a devastating war in which an estimated 150,000 people died.

Russia has a military base in the strategic country bordering Afghanistan and has a long-term agreement to station troops there.