August 14, the troops of the State Council of Georgia crossed the Georgian-Abkhaz border on the Ingur River and began to move deeper into the Republic along the highway. Civilians of the capital knew about the beginning of the war from the rocket and bomb attacks of the Georgian aviation on the city and beaches, which were filled with tourists in the hot August morning.

Having violated the agreements reached, according to which the sides withdrew troops (Georgians to the village of Bagmaran, Abkhazians to Gumista River), on August 18 the State Council troops entered Sukhum without hindrance and occupied the city. Looting and ethnic cleansing of primarily the Abkhaz population of the capital began.

Closed territory from Gumista to Bzyb remained controlled by Abkhazians. Tkuarchal and some Abkhaz villages of Ochamchyra district were in blockade. The rest of the country was occupied by Georgian troops.

The war in Abkhazia lasted 413 days. Until September 30, 1993- the Victory Day, which brought Abkhazia a long-awaited freedom and independence.

"We rushed to death so that we could live," stressed the wartime leader and the first President of the Republic of Abkhazia Vladislav G. Ardzinba.