Russian military presence, peacekeeping and ethnic conflict resolution is a major challenge for Georgia. By having military bases in Georgia, Russia enjoys political-military influence. Without a legal basis and against Georgia's oftexpressed will Russia has maintained three Soviet-era military bases in Georgia, totalling some 8,000 troops and large arsenals. The withdrawal of these bases, as agreed upon at a 1999 OSCE (Organisation of Security and Co-operation in Europe) summit in Istanbul, has been under way for several years, but it has never come to an end, partly because of embedded problems and partly because of Russian contraction to withdrawal. This paper discusses the present situation and assesses the position of Georgia and the social, political, and security implications of withdrawal.