Graznava

The Graznava People's Republic (GPR, ; Гразнава Народная Рэспубліка tr. Hraznava Narodnaja Respublika, HNR) is a People's Republic in Eastern Artemia which formed after the ratification of the Graznava-Rovsnoska Ceasefire of 1998. It shares a northern border with Yarova and a southern border with Rovsnoska. It has a surface area of 203,582 square kilometers. The capital city is Apazov, and the largest city is Chernoblinsk which houses over 1.75 million inhabitants.

The Graznava People's Republic was formed after the dissolution of the United Provinces of Rovsnoska and Zaporizhia, where the culturally separate Kryzhelov people feared prosecution by Rovsnoskan officials. Amidst the chaos of the Rovski-Zaporizhian Separation, the People's Liberation Movement of Graznava and Astran formed and began to occupy military outposts and government buildings. A constitution was adopted and the fledgling movement declared independence as the Graznava People's Republic and Astran People's Republic. Following a ban on both organizations, the Graznavan-Rovsnoskan Civil War broke out in 1997. After eight months of fighting with little gained on either side, a ceasefire was brokered which recognized the independence of the GPR.

Since the ratification of the Graznava-Rovsnoska Ceasefire, Graznava has been plagued by border conflicts and political infighting. Following a successful coup in 2002, the Communist Party of Graznava was disposed of by more liberal rebels. The new government was led by the Free Graznava Party, which is largely center-left. The economy was moved from state-owned to free market and a large part of the state-owned industry was sold to foreign investors. However, certain critical industries remain in the hands of the government. Despite the political turmoil in the region, Graznava has had free elections since 2004 and has become the largest exporter of wheat and grain in Eastern Artemia.

Geography and Climate
Sitting upon rolling plains and vast forests, Graznava is situated in the Central Kryzhelovschina Steppe. The area is classified by rolling hills and fertile black soil, making it ideal for agrarian societies. The region is also home to low swamps in natural depressions during the wet season, leaving some areas to be impassable during spring and fall. About 40% of the country is covered in forests. The highest point in the country is 1,261ft above sea level, with the lowest being 278ft above sea level. It shares a heavily militarized border with Rovsnoska in the south, with a relatively open border with Yarova to the north.

The climate is roughly continental, with mild winters averaging -6°C (21°F) and warm summers averaging 22°C (72°F). It receives an average rainfall of 600mm (23in) to 750mm (29in) annually. Natural resources are relatively scarce, however, substantial peat and coal deposits dot the countryside.

Politics
The Graznavan government is served by two branches, being the People's Soviet and the Council of People's Commissars.

The People's Soviet is a body of 100 publicly elected individuals represented by a political party. The party with the most seats in the People's Soviet becomes the ruling party of Graznava, and is eligible to elect one of their own to become the Chairman of the People's Soviet. At any time, the Chairman of the People's Soviet may be ousted by their own party should they be spilled. Elections for seats within the People's Soviet open once every four years. Currently, no term limit exists for those elected to the People's Soviet; they are bound until either voted out, retirement, or death. The Chairman of the People's Soviet serves as a representative for the Soviet to the General Secretary.

The Council of People's Commissars, or otherwise known as The Council, effectively serves as the government. It seats a minister from each department of the government, each representing their particular department. The Council of People's Commissars determines policies ranging from economic to defense, and vote on such. Policies formed by the General Secretary pass through the Council for approval, and if accepted, are then passed to the People's Soviet.

Foreign Affairs
Graznava shares relatively free and open borders with it's neighbor, Yarova. The crossing accounts for nearly 85% of traffic along Graznava's borders. Due to bilateral agreements, Graznava and Yarova are binded in a number of economic and reconstruction pacts. The largest purchaser of exported goods from Graznava is Yarova.

The border shared with Rovsnoska remains in constant turmoil. Both sides retain claims on one another, leading to frequent military patrols and border incidents. Numerous skirmishes have occurred since 1998, causing an estimated 200 fatalities.

Armed Forces
The Armed Forces of the Graznava People's Republic is a small, yet professional military force. It numbers, on average, around 60,000 active uniformed personnel. It encompasses four branches; the Graznavan Ground Forces, the Air Defense Forces, the Internal Troops, and the Auxiliary Corps.

Ground Forces
The Ground Forces are the largest uniformed branch of the Armed Forces, numbering close to 30,000. As of 2018, the forces were comprised of the 106th Mechanized Independent Guards Brigade, 111th Mechanized Guards Brigade, the 41st and 97th Mobile Brigades (organized as light infantry regiments), and the 9th Special Tasking Brigade. It also utilizes five artillery brigades and four regiments, four SAM brigades, two brigades and a regiment of engineers, two signal brigades, the 406th NBC Containment Brigade, and the 71st NBC Containment regiment.

Formerly it's own branch, the Armored Corps was folded under the Ground Forces in 2005. It is comprised of an estimated 1350 tanks and 750 APC/IFVs spread across four armored divisions. These, however, operate at a limited capacity.

Air Defense Forces
The Air Defense Forces of the Graznava People's Republic (ADF) is the airborne contingent of the Armed Forces. It largely deals in logistical matters and reconnaissance. The ADF five air wings, numbering about 450 aircraft and 80 rotary wing craft. It is split largely between two airbases, Pavlovo Aerodrome and Beleksa Airbase. The 276th Independent Air Assault Wing and 113th Fighter Wing operate from Pavlovo, with the 310th Guards Independent Air Assault Wing, 255th Logistical Support Wing, and 127th Fighter Wing operating from Beleksa. The branch numbers around 18,000 active personnel, most of which being aircraft maintainers and mechanics.

Internal Troops
The Internal Troops are a holdover from the UPRZ Interior Ministry, which used the forces to patrol the region. They are now used to combat insurgents and maintain a presence at border checkpoints. The force operates on about 12,000 active personnel.

Auxiliary Corps
The Auxiliary Corps serves as the "un-uniformed" forces of Graznava. These units are typically formed of prisoners and volunteers and operate in contested regions, such as the border with Rovsnovka. Many have little to no training, and are used simply to maintain a presence on the front. Those who are not deployed usually become embedded with the engineers and assist with reconstruction, public works, and various other duties.

Economy
The economy of Graznava is best described as, as the state still owns sects of heavy industry, energy, and infrastructure. However, the market is still largely determined by the price of goods as set by the consumer, not the state. Due to this, the largely agrarian economy has been able to flourish through exports.

The largest exports of Graznava are as follows; wheat, grain, peat, potash, steel cord, ball bearings, and farming equipment. The largest buyer of exported goods is Yarova.