Former Russian Navy Chief: Pullout of the Russian Troops Feasible in Months not Years

Former Commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet Admiral (Ret.) Eduard Baltin told Interfax that withdrawal of the Russian troops and equipment from Georgia is feasible in few months.

Baltin, who commanded the Black Sea Fleet during the conflict in Abkhazia, said the navy pulled out some 44 thousand civilians, Russian troops and tens of the armored vehicles from Abkhazia in 1993 within three months.

Baltin said, some 3000 troops and equipment, currently stationed in Georgia can be transported from the ports of Poti and Batumi on Georgia’s Black Sea to the Russian port of Novorossisk. Admiral Baltin’s statement follows the arguments of the Russian officials that Russia needs 3-4 years to pull its troops out of Georgia.