Estonians began to emigrate to Abkhazia when the region became part of the Russian Empire and many Abkhazians left or were expelled.

The tsarist regime began to repopulate the area with its Christian subjects, including Estonians.

There were numerous waves of migration from Estonia to Abkhazia, where the peasants were promised land.

[1] Among others, they founded the villages of Sulevi and Salme in the west and Alam-Linda, Ülem-Linda and Estonka near Sukhumi.

[4] During the Stalin era, the NKVD of the Georgian SSR arrested and convicted 55 Estonians, 37 of whom were sentenced to death and 18 who were sent to prison.