The office of Minister for Defence (Abkhaz: атәыла хьчара аминистр, Georgian: თავდაცვის მინისტრი, Russian: министр обороны) has been one of the most important in the breakaway Republic of Abkhazia[1] due to the ongoing conflict with Georgia.
[2] The person in the position heads the Ministry of Defence of Abkhazia, which controls the Abkhazian Armed Forces.
Sosnaliev oversaw Abkhazia's successful expulsion of Georgian forces and remained Defence Minister until on 1 July 1996 he resigned to return to his native Kabardia.
Sosnaliev's successor was Vladimir Mikanba, who held the position during the May 1998 war in the Gali district and the October 2001 incursion of Chechen fighters down the Kodori valley.
[3] On 25 February 2005, newly elected President Sergei Bagapsh called on Sultan Sosnaliev to become Defence Minister once more.