▁it ▁has ▁never ▁actually ▁possessed ▁any ▁s izable ▁fleet . ▁The ▁first ▁attempt ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁modern ▁n avy ▁dates ▁to ▁the ▁country ' s ▁short - l ived ▁independence ▁as ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Republic ▁of ▁Georgia ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 2 1 . ▁The ▁Georg ian ▁Navy ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁consisted ▁of ▁a ▁flags hip , ▁several ▁sail ing - bo ats , ▁and ▁a ▁few ▁t ugs ▁comm ande ered ▁from ▁Russian ▁own ers ▁during ▁the ▁Russian ▁Civil ▁War . ▁The ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁Red ▁Army ▁invasion ▁brought ▁the ▁nation - building ▁to ▁an ▁end ▁and ▁Georgia ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁By ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁Georgia ’ s ▁coast al ▁waters ▁had ▁been ▁controlled ▁by ▁the ▁Pot i - based ▁ 1 8 4 th ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁Brigade ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Black ▁Sea ▁Fle et . ▁Sm aller ▁bases ▁were ▁located ▁at ▁O ch am ch ire , ▁Bat umi , ▁An ak lia , ▁and ▁Su kh umi . ▁After ▁the ▁dissol ution ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union , ▁the ▁Pot i ▁brig ade ▁was ▁completely ▁with dra wn ▁from ▁Georgia ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁having ▁left ▁behind ▁only ▁six ▁vessels . ▁However , ▁the ▁Russian ▁border ▁gu ards ▁continued ▁to ▁pat rol ▁Georgia ’ s ▁coast line ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁Georg ian ▁Navy ▁▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁the ▁Cab inet ▁of ▁Minister s ▁of