Vladimir Tach-ipa Mikanba ( ab, Владимир Тач-иҧа Мқанба, ka, ვლადიმერ მიქანბას, russian: Владимир Тачевич Миканба; 23 September 1931 – 22 February 2010) was the

Minister of Defence A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in som ...

of the unrecognised

Republic of Abkhazia Abkhazia, ka, აფხაზეთი, tr, , xmf, აბჟუა, abzhua, or ( or ), officially the Republic of Abkhazia, is a partially recognised state in the South Caucasus, recognised by most countries as part of Georgia, which vi ...

from 1996 until 2002.

Early life and career

Vladimir Mikanba was born 23 September 1931 in

New Athos New Athos or Akhali Atoni ( ka, ახალი ათონი, ''Akhali Atoni''; ab, Афон Ҿыц, ''Afon Ch'yts''; russian: Новый Афон; ''Novy Afon'', gr, Νέος Άθως, ''Neos Athos'') is a town in the Gudauta ''raion'' of ...

in the

Gudauta District Gudauta District is a district of Abkhazia, Georgia’s breakaway republic. It corresponds to the eponymous Georgian district. Its capital is Gudauta, the town by the same name. The population of the district was 34,869 at the time of the 2003 cen ...

of what was then the Abkhazian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1960 he graduated from the Moscow road institute. From 1960 to 1975 Mikanba held various positions within the

Sukhumi Sukhumi (russian: Суху́м(и), ) or Sokhumi ( ka, სოხუმი, ), also known by its Abkhaz name Aqwa ( ab, Аҟәа, ''Aqwa''), is a city in a wide bay on the Black Sea's eastern coast. It is both the capital and largest city of ...

taxi organisation. From 1975 until 1985, he was Chairman of the Executive Committee of the City Soviet of Sukhumi, a position equivalent to that of Mayor. In March 1985 Vladimir Mikanba was appointed Minister for Local Industry of the Abkhazian ASSR a position he held until July 1989. From 1989 until 1992 Mikanba was Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers.

Vice Premier and Minister of Defence

From 1992 until 1999 Vladimir Mikanba was Vice Premier of Abkhazia, which became de facto independent during this time. In 1996 he also became Minister of Defence, succeeding Sultan Sosnaliyev, a position he held until 2002 when he was succeeded by later Prime Minister and Vice President

Raul Khadjimba Raul Jumkovich Khajimba ( ab, Рауль Џьумка-иҧа Ҳаџьымба, ka, რაულ ჯუმკას-ძე ჰაჯიმბა; born 21 March 1958) is an Abkhazian politician, and served as President of Abkhazia from 25 September ...

Death

Mikanba died on 22 February 2010 at the age of 79.

Sources

* 1931 births 2010 deaths People from Gudauta District Ministers for Defence of Abkhazia Vice Premiers of Abkhazia {{Abkhazia-bio-stub