Scholars have interpreted Georgia-Abkhazia relations during the last two decades in the context of bipolar confrontations between ethnic Georgians and Abkhazians, allegedly supported by Russia. Yet Abkhazia should be regarded as a magnetic fi eld between various ethnic interests and intentions, rather than a bipolar society in which the pro-Russian Abkhazians dominate over non-Abkhazians, some of whom (namely the Mingrelians) sympathize with Georgia. This essay focuses on transnational minorities (the Armenians and Muslims) in Abkhazia and analyze how their external patrons (the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Turkish Diyanet and the Russian Council of Muftis) dared to decide to help their co-believers in Abkhazia, even challenging the international society accusing Russias recognition of Abkhazia.