Saturday, April 4, 2026
Civic Identity More Common in Bi-National Republics than in Others in North Caucasus, Poll Shows
Paul Goble
Civic Identity More Common in Bi-National Republics than in Others in North Caucasus, Poll Shows
Georgian
Russia Must Apologize for the Wars of Genocide to Repair Its Reputation
Russia Must Apologize for the Wars of Genocide to Repair Its Reputation
Adel Bashqawi
August 10, 2025
Circassian-Ukrainian Synergy
International Rights Presentation
The Real Political Prisoners of Putin
The Captive Nations of the “Russian Federation”
Circassian-Ukrainian Synergy
Adel Bashqawi
March 31, 2025
Thanks to Ukraine for Recognizing the Circassian Genocide: The Suffering of the Circassian Nation
Thanks to Ukraine for Recognizing the Circassian Genocide: The Suffering of the Circassian Nation
Adel Bashqawi
January 9, 2025
Circassian Destiny: To Remind Those Whose Memory Has Betrayed (4)
Circassian Destiny: To Remind Those Whose Memory Has Betrayed (4)
Adel Bashqawi
October 28, 2024
This is the fourth article in a series, as indicated by the title above.
Decolonizing Russia: A Closer Look (Part 1)
Decolonizing Russia: A Closer Look (Part 1)
Adel Bashqawi
July 03, 2024
Georgia’s Lost Potential to Support North Caucasus Decolonization
Georgia’s Lost Potential to Support North Caucasus Decolonization
4 May, 2024
Contributor
Thornike Gordadze
In the tumultuous 1990s, amid the intense violence of the Chechen war, a remarkable shift occurred among all my Chechen friends and acquaintances—they abruptly ceased drinking alcohol. Instead, as a gesture of camaraderie, they would raise a glass of water in toast, proclaiming: “Za vas, za nas, za svobodnyi Kavkaz!” (For you, for us, for the free Caucasus). While the toast itself was ancient, originating from Soviet times, the concluding phrase had been modified from “Severnyi (North) Kavkaz” to “Svobodnyi (Free) Kavkaz.” Through conversations with scholarly colleagues from the North Caucasus, I consistently encountered a deep-seated appreciation for Georgia, both politically and culturally. As one of my Dagestani friends, a professor expressed it, Georgia was viewed as “the only truly Caucasian nation in the South Caucasus.”
Throughout history, Georgia has grappled with the dilemma of whether to engage in the affairs of the North Caucasus or to remain aloof, sometimes even aligning tacitly, if not actively, with the colonizer’s agenda. Georgia’s pursuit of independence and its security and foreign policy orientations towards the West has consistently recognized the importance of a free North Caucasus under Russian influence. Consequently, all patriotic political factions in Georgia, whether predominantly liberal or nationalistic, have, to some degree, endorsed the notion of North Caucasian emancipation. Consequently, assuming that Georgia’s European aspirations and its active engagement with its North Caucasian neighbors are mutually exclusive is misleading. Rather, these two policies complement each other, collectively bolstering Georgia’s independence. However, the current Georgian government diverges from this historical stance, prioritizing accommodation with Russia over this traditional policy. Read more