Battle of Sochi

In November 1918, the German Caucasus expedition left Georgia. Due to the beginning of the Armenian-Georgian war in December, Mazniashvili was transferred to the Shulaveri front. General Aleksandre Koniashvili replaced him on the Sochi front. On December 2, 1918, the Sochi Population Congress confirmed the temporary joining of the Sochi District with Georgia. From the fall of 1918 to April 1919, Beniamin Chkhikvishvili served as the commissar of traffic in the Sukhumi district.[1]

The withdrawal of German military forces from the region encouraged Denikin to initiate active military operations against Georgia.[2] Denikin began gathering troops between Lazarevskaya and Loo, near the positions of Georgian military units. The Volunteer Army's 2nd Infantry Division under Alexander Cherepkov launched an offensive, advancing 45 kilometers, and by December 16, they had taken up positions near Loo.[2] On December 26, Evgeny Gegechkori addressed a note of protest to the leadership of the United Kingdom military mission, specifically Colonel Jordan, who controlled the Caucasus and was an ally of Anton Denikin's Volunteer Army. On December 28, Gegechkor and Jordan agreed on the demilitarization of the Sochi district with the condition of maintaining the Georgian administration in the district. On December 29, in accordance with the agreement, Georgia evacuated its units from the Sochi region, but Anton Denikin, on the contrary, began to assemble military forces in this region. On the same day, Gegechkor issued another note of protest to the British. The capture of Tuapse by the Volunteer Army was followed by the establishment of a military form of government, the abolition of self-government, and other democratic institutions. This elicited a strong protest from the population. On January 5, 1919, a meeting of public organizations in Sochi was held, which once again affirmed the expediency of the Sochi District's existence as part of Georgia and requested the withdrawal of the Volunteer Army.[3]

By January 18–21, Denikin had about 3,000 soldiers mobilized near Golovinka, and Colonel Efremov had already been appointed as the commandant of Sochi. They were joined by the Armenian population of the Sochi district. The positions of the Georgian army were weakened due to demilitarization, they occupied unfavorable positions, and their right flank was exposed. General Koniashvili had about 1,500 soldiers under his command.[2]

General Burnevich presented an ultimatum to Georgia and demanded that they vacate Sochi and lay down their arms within 24 hours.[4] On February 6, the volunteer army carried out a flank attack maneuver, went behind the Georgian units, and cut off the Georgian garrisons of Sochi and Adler. They also introduced a minesweeper into the waters of Sochi, which neutralized the Georgian artillery and prevented the landing of the People's Guard units from the sea. The Sochi garrison did not manage to contact the Adler garrison, where the company under the command of Faghava was located. Faghava retreated back towards the mountains. The volunteer army captured General Koniashvili, Colonel Tsereteli, Mukhran Khocholava, the government representative in the Sochi district, totaling 748 prisoners. Most of the prisoners were shot on the spot.[2] The battle for Sochi lasted for 4 days. As a result of successful military operations, the volunteer army occupied Adler, Vesioloe, Pilenkovo, Gagra, and on February 10, they stopped at the Bzyb River.

On February 15, Zhordania sent Forestier-Walker, the commander of the British 27th Division stationed in Batumi, a request for the Volunteer Army to vacate the Gagra area, threatening to resume hostilities otherwise. In a reply telegram on February 19, Forestier-Walker informed Gegechkor that they had already asked Denikin to evacuate not only the Gagra district but also the Sochi district. He also warned Georgia not to initiate military operations. A reinforced British company, commanded by Colonel Fiennes, was deployed to Gagra and stationed on both sides of the Bzyb River. The Georgian units, fortified near Bzyb, were poised to launch an attack, but they were halted by the British military representative, White, under the condition that the Volunteer Army would vacate the Sochi district.[2]