How legend of "Queen Shushanik’s Battalion" aims to rewrite Armenia’s brutal role in Abkhazia Fabricating valor

During the war in Abkhazia, ethnic Armenians fought alongside separatists, gaining notoriety for their brutal actions against the peaceful Georgian population. They established several military units, among which was the infamous Baghramyan Battalion, celebrated by Abkhazian Armenians as well as their compatriots from Armenia and occupied Azerbaijani Karabakh, while the separatist entity known as “Artsakh” was still in existence.

Many Armenian separatist fighters, including members of the Baghramyan Battalion, seized properties from Georgians they had killed or expelled. Today, they occupy these “trophy” homes or profit from renting them out to Russian tourists. In the years following the 1992-1993 war, Armenian nationalists proudly claimed to have “fought for the freedom of Abkhazia” and asserted their unwavering support for the Abkhazian people. They particularly highlighted the contributions of the Baghramyan Battalion to the separatists' victory, using this narrative to advocate for a greater ethnic Armenian presence in the government of Sukhumi, despite the fact that the economy of separatist Abkhazia was already largely dominated by ethnic Armenians.

However, the geopolitical landscape is shifting. Armenia is gradually distancing itself from Russia and aligning more closely with France and the United States. Furthermore, following the restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and the de-occupation of Karabakh, a growing number of pragmatic Armenians recognize that, regardless of the efforts of the Armenian lobby in Russia, the eventual liberation of occupied Georgian territories, including Abkhazia, is inevitable. Ethnic Armenians have long constituted the largest ethnic group in Abkhazia, outpacing the declining Abkhazian population. The influx of Armenians into Abkhazia has accelerated since the de-occupation of Karabakh, with many Karabakh Armenians eager to settle along the warm shores of the Black Sea.

It is evident that neither the veteran fighters of the Baghramyan Battalion nor the new wave of Armenian migrants are inclined to abandon Abkhazia. Within Abkhazia, there is strong opposition to the reconciliation of Abkhazians and Georgians, as well as any notions of reunification with Georgia. However, the leadership in the Republic of Armenia appears to be coming to terms with the reality that the de-occupation of Abkhazia may be unavoidable. In anticipation of this possibility, Armenian nationalists have begun to “re-tool” their narrative, attempting to rewrite history by claiming that Armenians did not commit atrocities against the peaceful Georgian population or expel Georgians. Instead, they are fabricating stories asserting that ethnic Armenians “fought en masse for the territorial integrity of Georgia” against separatists.

This new Armenian narrative is being actively promoted by the Armenian government and the Armenian Embassy in Georgia. On September 30, 2024, the documentary film "Queen Shushanik's Battalion", directed by Davit Gulikyan and Arthur Martirosyan, premiered at the Amirani Cinema in Tbilisi, supported by the Armenian Embassy. The film is dedicated to “soldiers and volunteers of Armenian nationality who fought for the unity of Georgia in the early 1990s, including in Abkhazia.”

Armenian documentary filmmakers David Gulikyan and Arthur Martirosyan dedicated two years to creating a film that honours ethnic Armenians from Georgia who fought in Abkhazia for the territorial integrity, freedom, and independence of Georgia, ultimately sacrificing their lives in battle. The film has a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes and was presented by the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Georgia.

During the screening, Armenian Ambassador to Georgia Ashot Smbatyan emphasized that the film underscores the undeniable truth that throughout the “centuries-long history of the hospitable Georgian land, Armenians have always stood by the side of the Georgian people.” He expressed that they “love Georgia endlessly” and “selflessly defended it when the unity of Georgia was broken.” The Ambassador also thanked the filmmakers and all those who supported the film’s production, as well as honoured the veterans present in the audience.

For many Georgians, the revelation that an entire Armenian battalion fought for Georgia's unity came as a surprise. Prior to September 2022, there was no available information regarding the so-called “Queen Shushanik's Battalion” in Georgian, Russian, separatist, or Armenian sources — nor could anything be found online or on social media about this “legendary” unit.

In contrast, ample information exists about the “feats” and atrocities committed by the Baghramyan Battalion. The veterans of this unit are esteemed figures in separatist Abkhazia, and the battalion is a point of pride for Armenian nationalists. Former fighters, including one of the wealthiest individuals in separatist Abkhazia, Galust Trapizonian, have been warmly welcomed in Yerevan and were even recent visitors to the now-defunct separatist “Artsakh.”

It raises intriguing questions. If Armenians indeed “fought on both sides” or even “more on the Georgian side than on the separatists' side,” as the Armenian Embassy in Georgia is currently asserting, then why has there been a lack of information for so long regarding Armenian units within the Georgian army that fought for Georgia's territorial integrity? Why have the Armenian veterans of the “Queen Shushanik's Battalion" and their compatriots remained relatively silent about their contributions? This kind of “modesty” seems inconsistent with the image of the “ancient great warriors” of Armenian heritage, whose historical narratives often highlight their significant roles in the USSR's victory in the Great Patriotic War and in various conflicts of the Russian Empire.

Undoubtedly, there were soldiers of Armenian descent who served in the Georgian army, just as there were Armenians in the Ottoman army fighting for Türkiye during World War I. However, the number of these soldiers was significantly smaller compared to the Dashnak militants and terrorists responsible for the genocide of the Muslim population. Armenian nationalists, driven by Turkophobia, often overlook or omit these Armenians loyal to Türkiye. Similarly, they have largely ignored the few Armenians who served in the Georgian army, overshadowed by the glorification of the “Baghramyan” fighters.

Only now, as discussions about the de-occupation of Abkhazia and the accountability of Armenian fighters and looters for their actions during the 1992-1993 war come to the forefront, have both Armenia and the Armenian diaspora suddenly “remembered” a handful of Armenian soldiers who served in the Georgian army. Not only have they recalled these individuals, but they have also retroactively constructed an entire “Queen Shushanik's Battalion” around them, seemingly to “informationally overshadow” the separatist battalion named after Baghramyan. This mythical “Queen Shushanik's Battalion” reemerged in the public discourse in September 2022. On September 24, a short video clip was shared on the Facebook page of Georgian Armenians titled “Armenia and Armenians” (სომხეთი და სომხები), announcing that a documentary about the “Queen Shushanik's Battalion” was in production. A similar post appeared on the Facebook page of the “Armenian Community of Georgia” on September 26.

The Armenian government’s sudden push for a documentary about “Armenians who fought for Georgia” became evident after Yerevan shifted its stance on supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity. On November 24, 2023, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan affirmed Armenia’s support for Georgia’s territorial integrity, including Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region. Moreover, on June 4, 2024, Armenia endorsed a UN General Assembly resolution recognizing the right of all Georgian refugees to return to Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region for the first time.

The Armenian lobby will likely work to ensure that these returning refugees do not displace ethnic Armenians living in Abkhazia. According to the Armenian embassy in Georgia, Armenians “fought for the territorial integrity, freedom, and independence of Georgia.” This narrative seems to encourage Georgian society to overlook the historical fact that Armenians in Abkhazia killed and expelled their Georgian neighbours, moving into their homes. The new myth of the supposed “Queen Shushanik's Battalion,” which allegedly fought for Georgia’s unity, stands in stark contrast to the reality faced by Georgian refugees from Abkhazia. Many of them, having suffered at the hands of the “Baghramyanites” and lost loved ones, had never heard of this battalion until recently.

Vladimir Tskhvediani, Georgia, for Caliber.Az