Publication:  N7 / Review period: July-September, 2022 / Author: Arsen Araqelov

Review of Russia’s Soft Power in Abkhazia and the Tkshinvali Region is being prepared within the framework of the project - Roadmap to the Kremlin's Policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region. The purpose of the publication is to review important developments related to Russia's soft power in these regions and activities that the Kremlin uses to strengthen its influence in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region. The review is a quarterly publication and will be useful for everyone – decision-makers, public employees, media representatives and other people who are interested in the Kremlin’s policy in the occupied regions of Georgia.

 

New Concept for Russia's Humanitarian Policy

On September 5, the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, issued a decree approving the new Concept for Russia's Humanitarian Policy Abroad. The document aims at spreading and popularizing Russian culture in the international arena and protecting the interests and cultural identity of the Russian-speaking population. The concept emphasizes the need to deepen cooperation with the occupied regions of Georgia, Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, in the field of culture, education, science, sports, youth policy and tourism.

Russia’s Soft Power in Abkhazia

Education

• On July 8, a meeting was held in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia between the de facto Minister of Foreign Affairs, Inal Ardzinba, and the Head of the Federal Agency for International Humanitarian Affairs (Russian House), Dmitry Fedotov. The parties agreed to increase the quota in Russian higher educational institutions.
• The Minister of Health of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia, Eduard Butba, met with Yevgeny Achkasov, who is the Director of the Medical Rehabilitation Clinic of the First Moscow State Medical University named after Sechenov, the Head of the Department of Sports Medicine and Medical Rehabilitation and the President of the Russian Medical Society. 
• According to the Rector of the Mikhail Shchepkin Higher Theater School, Boris Lubimov, this year the school received students from Abkhazia for the first time.
• On September 5-16, 2022, employees of the de facto Ministry of Foreign Affairs took part in a qualification upgrading course at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Internship in Russia

• Inal Ardzinba met with the Director of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, the General Director of Russia - Country of Opportunities, Alexei Komissarov. Russia - Country of Opportunities is a non-profit organization which was established in 2018 on the initiative of the President of Russia. The platform combines 26 competitions, projects, and Olympiads. At the meeting, the parties made a decision to sign a cooperation document between the Future of Abkhazia platform and Russia - Country of Opportunities in 2022, which, in turn, will increase support for the Future of Abkhazia as well as the number of internships for Abkhaz youth in Russia. The Future of Abkhazia platform was founded by Ardzinba.

Sports

• On July 23, 2022, at the Sokhumi Dynamo Stadium, athletes met with Alexander Karelin, who is a three-time Olympic champion of the USSR, the Honored Master of Sports of the USSR in Greco-Roman wrestling and Hero of Russia.

Meeting Between Athletes and Alexander Karelin. Source: apsadgil.info

• The so-called Paralympic Committee of Abkhazia and the Sports Federation of Sports for the Disabled of St. Petersburg signed a cooperation agreement.
• The Ministry of Sports of Russia announced that their intention to create a common football tournament for Crimea and other friendly “states,” including the de facto republics of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region in 2023. The Chairman of the so-called State Youth and Sports Committee, Jemal Gubaz, said that Abkhaz teams are ready to join this tournament.
• For the first time in history, on July 14, a Sochi football championship match took place at the Sokhumi Dynamo Stadium.

Celebrating Historical Dates

• A representative of the Moscow cultural and educational center Moscow House in Sokhumi and Heads of the Russian compatriots organization congratulated on her 100th birthday to World War II veteran, Maria Glusker.

Tourism

• The Association of Russian Tour Operators named the de facto Republic of Abkhazia as the most favorable sea vacation destination for Russian tourists.
• The Minister of Tourism of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia, Teimuraz Khishba, met with the Deputy Head of the Federal Tourism Agency of Russia, Elena Lysenkova. The meeting discussed the perspective of tourism development in Abkhazia.

Other Events

• Students of the Faculty of History of the so-called State University of Abkhazia took part in an archaeological excavation on the territory of the Sokhumi Fortress. According to the Head of the archaeological mission, during the Russian-Turkish war in the 70s of the 19th century, a battle took place in this area, and as a result, they discovered large-caliber cannons. Specialists of the St. Petersburg Institute of Ethnology who were interested in the issue visited the Sokhumi fortress.
• On September 22, within the framework of the Dialogue international intellectual club, a round table was held in the de facto Republic of Abkhazia on the topic - Preservation of the historical and cultural heritage of Russia and Abkhazia.
• On August 4, 2022, the Tears of Donbass exhibition was opened in the Vladislav Ardzinba State Museum.  

Exhibition - Tears of Donbass. Source:  rusabkhazia.ru

Russia's Soft Power in the Tskhinvali Region

Education

• A total of five young people from the Tskhinvali region graduated from the Krasnodar University of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. The de facto Minister of Internal Affairs attended the ceremony of awarding diplomas.

Ceremony of Awarding Diplomas. Source:  mvdruo.ru

• Cadets of the de facto Ministry of Internal Affairs, who entered schools of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, solemnly took an oath.
• The Council of the Russian Federation held a presentation on the so-called South Ossetian State University to celebrate the 90th anniversary of its establishment. The South Ossetia University was presented at the Federation Council for the first time.
• An international, historical action Victory Dictation was held in the Tskhinvali region. The Dictation was dedicated to the victory of the Soviet Union in World War II.

Sports

• A Russian coach, Yulia Kostrova,  held  a master class in artistic gymnastics in the Sports Palace Olympus in Tskhinvali.

Culture

• On July 29, the so-called Ambassador of the de facto republic to Russia, Znaur Gassiev, met with the CEO of the Russian Library of Foreign Literature, Pavel Kuzminov. During the meeting, they expressed their desire to deepen relations in the field of culture.
• An exhibition - Thank You Russia! dedicated to the August 2008 war was opened in the National Museum of the de facto Republic. The event was planned on the initiative of the 4th military base of Russia stationed in Tskhinvali.
• A delegation of the de facto republic participated in the first children's cultural forum in Moscow at the invitation of the Ministry of Culture of Russia.
• An exhibition dedicated to the 350th anniversary of Peter I was held in Tskhinvali.

Celebrating Historical Dates

• An event dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the introduction of mixed peace contingent in the Tskhinvali region was held in Tskhinvali.
• Representatives of the Tskhinvali region took part in Video Bridge dedicated to Russia's recognition of the de facto republic of the Tskhinvali region.

Other Events

• A branch of the Russkiy Mir Foundation located in Tskhinvali received a new outfit with the inscription – “It's time to speak Russian.” The said outfit, T-shirts, pens, etc. were sent from the Moscow branch of the Russkiy Mir Foundation.

New Outfit of the Russkiy Mir Foundation. Source: cominf.org

• According to the de facto Ministry of Health of Abkhazia, a total of 43 citizens of the de facto Republic who do not have Russian citizenship received high-tech and specialized medical care in Russian clinics in the first half of 2022.
• The Deputy Speaker of the Russian State Duma, Boris Chernyshev, said that Russia and the de facto government of the Tskhinvali region should work together on archival materials and study the “genocide” of the Ossetians.

Russia’s soft power is an instrument of foreign policy of the Russian Federation which the Kremlin actively uses to increase its influence abroad, including in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region. Offices of the Federal Agency for CIS, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Affairs ensure the implementation of Russia’s soft power policy in the occupied regions of Georgia. Dmitry Fedotov is the Head of the Agency office in Abkhazia and Sergey Skvortsov is the Head of the Agency office in the Tskhinvali region