ah, whatever it takes, my policemen follow me pain. go here we are. your is actually on fire made for mines. ah no khaki puppy touched be li tends to his cattle outside his village on pastures that have been steadily shrinking since the south, the sea, she and region definitively broke away from georgia in 2008 goggins land is now divided by a new border heavily guarded by russian troops who locals fear i'm the russians arrested me here. just recently, all she liked mister day came all the way up to there and chased me this way. i said, who said they couldn't go. wicked. russia has been effectively in control of south

you see she has since 2008 and has steadily shifted the border further into george and territory. the government in tbilisi seems powerless to take action. so david kept the river and the men in his citizens patrol group set out to stop what they say is the creeping annexation of their country order through ugly for mission that after the war in 2008 to go, russia occupied 20 percent of our country that by itself is a lot, but it didn't, and there are, we've been losing more and more territory ever since. go to the recovery of ah, ah, yes, david cassava is actually in the tourism business. but a number of years ago, he began conducting daily patrols of this disputed border area. he set up as a villain, defense unit to prevent the seizure of george and land with the use of fences like

this one. i thought scribbled, oh, sorry. ok, holly. this is new barbed wire. the russians installed it about 6 weeks ago. dom up sie arc. they did it specifically to stop us bringing deliveries and some other help here. that will debussy doorbell comparable the mobile, the group come to this fence every week or 2 around my value or it's david for that caller. we're by defense. okay, we'll wait for you here. her little girl, good. valia lives on the other side of the divide. in the self proclaimed republic of south asia, russian military intervention in 2008 secured the regions break from georgia. valia is now effectively fenced in, and david cuts her of our points to another injustice. show her the red line is the

south o c psion administrative boundary it while we're here by the blue dot. so the fence has no business here that we've had 7000 hector's of land taken from us. in addition to the areas we lost during the war. i vanished really and her husband refused to take south lucy. she and citizenship. they insisted on continuing to live on their land in a personal protest against the occupation. but since the death of her husband mal, your strength has been failing. my relatives say i should move to their place. otto oliver aurora. no, you have to stay where you are. doctor will take care of you and do everything we can well up or it matters. we've brought along a few things for you while you're logged on to that server. thanks. the russian south o. c. she and border authorities rarely allow the 90 year old's relatives to visit

her. here to the george and civilian patrol group helps out with food and medication. eats, his thoughts will be out of out. she acknowledges the importance of her being there . yeah. and fighting for his horrible because it is a fight, you know, the laws for 16 percent of the disputed border has already been fortified by russian se reinforces with barbed wire and fences. villages have been divided and people separated from their fields as well as from their friends and relatives. georgia is a multi ethnic state during the soviet era. both of those see she and, and that kazi and minorities had autonomy, territories inside george's borders. after the collapse of communism and the soviet union, they declared their independence. but with georgia, insisting that they remain part of the country. a series of violent conflicts broke out in the early 19 ninety's. moscow backed the separatist movements from the

outset in 2008 fighting escalated into an open war between russia and georgia. to day, the regions of south the sienna kasha are effectively under russian control, with an estimated 20000 soldiers stationed there. according to georgia estimates, georgia state security services monitor their side of the occupation line, turning a blind eye to the activities of the civilian patrol groups, provided they don't lead to open conflict with the other side. but just days earlier, the volunteers had been denied access to the high security zone surrounding the border village of a tote c. i'm got him over there, but ah, mission else it did. the officer conduct can only mean one thing. he said to be the average, right? we're not supposed to see what's happening there. got hold of his broad, so shoot. so we counted phone the public picture that says we've got the bus autumn . he was with his foot myriad of if were denied entry again today. ah,

what hope it's possible we'll make our own way to a touchy though what trade exhibit they can't stop us. okay. the oh, a some, some water which i really got to watch it had been. anyone wishing to pass through the security zone requires permission at one of the many check points along the occupation line. the citizens patrol group are denied entry again. cassava has always given the georgian authorities advance notice of his group's movements. now he threatens to take matters into his own hands are mutated. i've just sent a message to my contact, former southern saying vetter deal with the security services is over. other odds here may be done trin walker to live, and his threat is effective. a few minutes later they get the all clear and are permitted to continue their journey to a tote. see?

oh, okay, we're off. you go 1st, all followed. lawless univer luxury that oh no, that fine. ugh, i with the men sat off again, followed by george in state security personnel. the civilians, the suspect of further border encroachment in a tote see information. they believe they're escorts purposefully withheld from them. 20 minutes later, they discover a new border sign. the russian military are nowhere to be seen. but a new demarcation line is also in place, along with a freshly plowed field, ah, it's hands or something that they will. they call it a fire break. see no lula she um, but by digging this tragical to allegedly protect the fields from fire. so they've also drawn a new line of occupation. oh god, what's i answered, the border fence. they originally erected must be 50 or 60 meters away. you on that,

that be great and this new borderline is more than a kilometer long were but that means they've taken over several 100 hector's of land. what's his houses? so she's in it or ask you, go are in the remember to pay up to repeat, this is all new god, the movie, the now you see it with the naked. i hear that the symbol local, but they've crossed the original demarcation line. they set up, fell through the, the, the murder. they've done their work along the whole line. well, the than disappeared. farmington, missouri, that's what our government is hiding our kids again. i isic or that's why we weren't allowed to come here. the lower cold shampoos, some for hot or some hillier, the new border shift is a set back for the men in 2018. they managed to prevent the erection of a fence at this very spot. and their patrol group, when fans across georgia. the older controls of the old clothes thrown while ago we

stood up to the russians, much bold that we told them we wouldn't let him through and that they'd have to shoot us 1st animals after that we lived here the whole year. well, that meant facing the russians. they saw we were here and couldn't do anything over the pursuit are good. but the georgian government relented under pressure. though while rebuild it over 19th 2019. that was a day of shame for our government screen. just look at this video so that they sent police officers to stand between us and the russians and created the ideal working conditions for the russians in the process. um show probably arnold, i gave apology. i this is not your standard see up with robert thought that was

the george and government found itself in an unenviable position. and it pains to avoid open conflict with a militarily superior opponent. louder pitcher loudy and tom tug wattsey work for state security monitoring the george inside of the occupation line . there is no longer any contact between tbilisi and sion valley. the capital of the self proclaimed republic of south asia almost daily. the 2 witnessed offences on the south association border changing from one to cctv cameras was lost. a 3rd mobile one. the relief a free go closer than occupation of forces might appear on the ground. will this famously lego illegal detain?

erin, who goes though it closer to the occupation, what since the turn of the millennium, georgia has been drawing closer to both nato and the e. u. in russia's eyes, this constitutes a security risk from within its declared sphere of influence. moscow has spent 2 decades trying to hinder george's growing affiliation with the west. without the help of international partners, georgia can do almost nothing to oppose russia's expansionist policy. formal diplomatic relations between moscow in tbilisi have been suspended since 2008. but on the econd front, georgia remains heavily dependent on russia, especially when it comes to energy, infrastructure and tourism. the george and authorities are therefore eager to focus on di escalation, deputy foreign affairs minister lasha dice. aaliyah explains the situation. they

are doing this inside of these so former administrative lying. but the thing is that it's so in reality, so just plain lay and they're going give portion by portion just to hear it as a supplemental for oh, liberty, john josiah, $10.03 got to be crazy. so i'll be want to record your article. georgia has 2 other writing principles, annabel territorial, integrity and european, as well as you are atlantic integration also for the rockets. the lobster on the russian federation is trying to make us renounce one all the other psalms harakas are saying that's an existential threat to georgia. soccer tools to small, these chairs have arms supper, so we have no room to compromise and not much room to negotiate. a particle money will be stressed as a little bow trying griff, our fear is that the russian federation will keep trying to bully georgia little moss or torque gamble, pito soccer toys. they bottled david cups rather. and his team are now on their way

to please see most of the men live in the capital with their families and work in various professions. they spend as much of their free time as possible on the patrols which are funded by donations of it on their way home. they hear some surprising news. i with the one that's called all, shall we good to go. we need to go there and take a look at the situation is with us, so we can maximize public exposure and response. we want these people released as soon as possible. russel dumas milan here in the border region. someone is arrested every 2 or 3 days. charged with illegally crossing the border. i'll hurt her goby.

poppy touched really has already been attained 3 times by russian forces. on 2 occasions, he was released again after a few hours. but the other time he ended up spending 2 months in the south, the sea, she and jail sibyl could agree the hungry cattle do not recognize the invisible line of occupation. of course, so go these assistant. ilya desperately tries to drive them back. don't you remember lowered, you don't let them go into the ravine. she oh, i missed the russians arrested me. he had just recently died both shooting. they came all the way up to their and chased me this way. lower than i said will forbid it couldn't come a wicked. this entire stretch of land belonged to us, georgians, morally, de, and the russians took it from us. you see the lines there along the forest that marks their territory. they say little garden with you so,

so we have to constantly wonder what exactly belongs to us georgians. how far are we allowed to go, roddy? i'll get us up and back. there is our symmetry chaw next to the conifers. by that path amy zaden. all right, we can't visit the graves of our ancestors any more than i do not but a double. the village pastures have shrunk since the break away of south se shya, but the border has yet to be fortified here. so it's invisible, even for the herders. they still don't know exactly where they can send their cattle to greys. oh hardy, we now have just 16 cows. we used to have a 100 or hello car, but if we brought a 100 animals to graze here, now the grass would all be gone in a day or so. people sold their cattle and did i mention how many cows we lose here? last year it was 4 and 8 the year before hamish remitted, i got to go to wash. really let them go to the water until i go through. there's

a small river down in the valley perilously close to the demarcation line. the herders can either stay back and risk losing their cattle to the other side or across the line and face the prospect of arrest and a hefty fine imposed by the occupying forces. little gordon in government, those what, what are we supposed to do with the cows? keep on moving over to where we need to get them back while we're afraid, but the cows need water and there's not enough in the village in killing us all morning. w. die as he walked through a door. practically, every family in karbala has been affected by arrests. the men in the village share the cattle hurting duties. goldie's wife, irma, where he is, every time it's his turn to go out on to the pastures. marano mac, i don't want anybody to get captured by the enemy. the last time he was arrested, they dragged him away. by force gum, will you have these? ha ha! at 5 pm. gaki safely ushers all the cows back into the village. were including the

2 that are his own. i'm glad to see you back safely. come and sit with me. i. d. o goggan. irma 1st met, inch in valley. she's a c sheehan, and he's georgian, ethnically mixed. couples are not uncommon in the region. and this couple don't brook any discrimination, i mean, look, quoted called martha on, marcia calling me multiple. i wouldn't allow anyone to say anything bad about her well, and actually nobody does that as the limits. there's no such thing here at ocean. it's been 13 years since emma last saw her family back in sheen valley and the conflict between georgia and south sea she has been going on for at least a century with war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and acts of forced displacement. committed by both sides. the couple experienced the war in 2008 1st hand though shem will never said the gun.

nothing was damaged when the russians came in here you and an o i rob is to set up pity, doesher. b. although the house was shaking from the roar of the tanks, passing by, i saw a shrub with her, but there was damage or talk to her what it was, was russia more? dot oversaw, but they didn't harm anybody or insult them about either we see a lot of georgians don't want to have anything to do with the i see sions anymore and vice versa. that's how it is. now, the villages along the demarcation line, i know locally as she she so natalie zones, a fear emigration rates are high. local people feel the government has already given up on their communities. meanwhile, david cats are ever and his patrol group have arrived in the border village of erik nettie. the latest arrest incident has already drawn attention. the local press are

waiting for cats or rather the go to interview partner when it comes to the occupation. uncle kesh driscoll, terrible informative right. now stories are circulating that say, or citizens crossed the occupation line and were arrested buckler. but in fact, helpful to 80 percent of cases involved the occupier seizing people from territory controlled by all silica people to rent training. that's a bit of it's no coincidence that these interviews are conducted right next to the check point in ag, nettie. this is where those who have been arrested are usually handed back to the georgian authorities. often after lengthy negotiations, apparently that from the refugees settlement in kara, letty to troubleshoot or not from the village of governor bush. yeah. right. they live in the refugee settlement, which is where the patrol group are now headed in order to find the families of the

men arrested. the settlement was built after the 2008 war to house refugees fleeing the chin valley region. the mother z at aren't there any stores here where we could ask a mini market says many mart. let's try there. one thing we auto know, cuts are allowed, makes inquiries live, and it turns out the shopkeeper does. no. one of the families are not wrong with this, so let's see if we can locate them. they live somewhere around here. oh, cool, that's horrible. and so their inquiries continue. this driver immediately recognizes cassava and is happy to help. after being told the address, the volunteer patrol man finds the family's home. hello, sorry to disturb. have you been contacted about to find mr. commander? no, i haven't. auto. nobody's been in touch all. no. my heart's been racing or mooning, looking less so than your tongue that it was only when i went to the store this

morning that i found out about their arrest. thankfully good. what will happen to my son or sing amble, but little got them. of course, the accused of having crossed the border of which i doubt how is that because it's really not easy to do there. because of the fence or from you. miss me a little you can always reach me on my phone showing that we do everything we can do to health for the heart of her throat. i thank you so much. david cuts her other has known you information, but he knows how these arrests usually progress. i'll call miss oak, but she'll butter taken to a military base and then transferred out. they have to pay a fine that's determined to court. the whole process takes 2 or 3 days, and during that time, they're held in prison. i mean the local, the basic line is equivalent to 25 heroes. a considerable sum for people here. and

it can be a lot more. but here too, the patrol group tries to help out as a long day draws to a close. the men drive home tbilisi is a city of over a 1000000 inhabitants. despite the ongoing conflict with the countries powerful neighbor, the george and capital attracts large numbers of tourists from russia, providing a welcome boost to the local economy. david cats are of our lives in the outskirts of the city, with his wife and their 3 children. the family are among those whose livelihoods depend on tourism. david and his wife, sophia, catch a pulitzer organized extreme kayaking in canoe tours before becoming an activist. he was a popular actor in t v presenter in georgia. what is now known for being in the political spotlight, his border patrols have changed the lives of every one in his family.

the items as i like to vittie says, great about this. so regardless of what happens, well, i'll stand by him as best i can. hooker chair with regard to go, it was him a note, call me when it's walk it far is all about saudis. what i'm doing now is my mission in life. you know, i finally found my purpose horrible. she raised herself and know what i was born to do, or to them all in, or what my so pickle though, so was a lot of david caps, or other prepares to head back to the demarcation line. the 3 men recently detained, have now been released surprisingly quickly. today's patrol will take his team close to a russian military base. with a team of e. u observers was sent to the region to monitor the ceasefire, negotiated between russia, southsea and georgia in 2008. they patrol the demarcation line on

a daily basis. their mission is to bring stability to the region and build up trust between the conflicting parties. when we go to the areas that we are patrolling, it is necessary to be very visible. it's a part of our mandate to be on the ground visible so that they can really see our prism, the e u team document everything they observe in the field. the resulting internal reports are sent to brussels and analysts in the various e u. member states. this is sophia gessner, from france. she and her colleagues are tasked with recording any violations of international law along the border. although that's not all they do is nacia from belgium, explains what we also have a human effect of the monitoring. so how does security activities and developments influenced people living here in this area?

and we monitored in human rights affects. the e u mission has one major flaw. however, according to media spokeswoman gessner, so our mandate is valid. we've in the internationally weaker than i thought those of georgia birds are we are denied. i've says to up high zions of with this. yeah. the e u mission is therefore unable to say much about living conditions in the regions that broke away from georgia. communication across the border is minimal. in 2011 a hotline was set up to enable the 2 sides to report problems and even conduct negotiations with the aim of the escalating tensions around 300 individuals from all over the e. u, as well as from georgia, work for the mission. it's budget for the current 2 year period is approximately $45000000.00 euros.

russia has already set up 42 military bases across the region. moscow recognized the sovereignty of south a seizure after the 2008 war. but the break away state remains heavily reliant on russia in economic terms. and the kremlin also exerts considerable influence on the south, the see sion government, the anti occupational activists dispatch a drone to try and spy on any new plans to push the border further into georgia territory. colonel quarter, to turn woodrow both buzzers. we're now watching movements at the base to see what they're up to, the arms of the ben. this is the morning shift team. it's a slow process. so they're preparing to go out on patrol for promoting pun. what's your group number russia is our enemy. and more information improves our ability to fight them so good that astorga,

some global to settle. i see there a truckload's in this stranger. they don't let him in. the men's activities are not without risk. their drone has already come under fire once, but they accept these risks and remain determined to resist as they see it. neither the georgia government nor the u mission has an effective plan for dealing with the encroaching russian occupation cuts or rather, and as men always decide spontaneously when and where they will, petrol to monitor the russian occupiers and their illegal encroachments. the men have to use the element of surprise. they often end up in precarious situations, ah, photo, but when you get the camera and start recording are they both

certainly are more of them. at least 3. the driving off now. it picked us up gilbert. they thought we were locals, men, and that they might be able to arrest us. hey, give is go with them, but they've split her guard room. david cuts her of i says his patrol group has prevented the erection of around 10 kilometers of border fence at least putting a small dent in the creeping annexation of his country. oh, to live up for golf, withdrawals of towers, those little dis, it's own day. we definitely will kick the russians out, allen, i don't know when my le tour, but it will happen by and saw lowest ah ah ah.