Monthly Review

Review of Kremlin Policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region

2019 / 11 / 01

In October, 2019, armed forces of Russia and Abkhazia carried out joint exercises. Andrey Rudenko will curate directions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region at the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Russia. Integration process of Abkhazian and Russian payment systems completed. Events popularizing Russian language were held in both occupied regions of Georgia. You will be able to learn about important developments of October 2019, connected to Kremlin’s policy in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region.

October 2019 Important Developments Shortly:                                                                                                        

  • New curator: New curator to Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region at the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry will be Andrey Rudenko.
  • Curators visit: The issue of investment program implementation was discussed with curators in Sokhumi.
  • Important visits: Russian delegation attended inauguration of de facto President of Abkhazia.
  • Military exercises: Summer exercises were summarized at the 7th military base of Russia dislocated in Abkhazia.
  • Border demarcation: Regular meeting was held of Tskhinvali Region and Russia so-called border demarcation committee.
  • Foreign policy coordination: Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia met with de facto representative of Tskhinvali Region.
  • Cooperation between legislative bodies: Russian Federation Council administration staff visited Tskhinvali to share experience.
  • Cooperation in the field of economy: Integration process of Abkhazian and Russian payment systems completed.
  • Financial assistance: Federal budget draft of Russia for 2020-2022 envisages financial assistance to Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region.
  • Cooperation in the field of healthcare: the Moscow government transferred medical equipment to the hospital of de facto Ministry of Defence of Abkhazia.
  •  „Soft power“: Events popularizing Russian language were held in occupied regions of Georgia.

New Curator

Andrey Rudenko will curate Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region directions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. He replaced Grigory Karasin due to his retirement on September 10, 2019. Rudenko was appointed Deputy Minister on September 19, 2019. He already met with the representatives of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region and on October 8-9 attended the 49th round of the Geneva International Discussions.

Curators Visit

On October 23, 2019, in Sokhumi were discussed the issues related to implementation of investment program promoting socio-economic development of Abkhazia for 2017-2019. Raul Khajimba, de facto President of Abkhazia and representatives from Russia participated in the meeting, including Igor Koshin, Deputy Minister of North Caucasus Affairs, Anton Melnik, Director of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry and Denis Travin, Deputy Head of the Directorate for Cross-Border Cooperation of the Presidential Administration. Members of Russian delegation curate socio-economic assistance to Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region and frequently visit occupied regions of Georgia.

Important Visits

Delegation from Russia attended inauguration of de facto President of Abkhazia

On October 9, 2019, in Abkhazia, inauguration of de facto President, Raul Khajimba, was held. Russian representatives also attended the solemn ceremony. Among the guests were curators of Abkhazia: Sergey Chebotarev, Minister of North Caucasus Affairs and Aleksey Filatov, Head of the Directorate for Cross-Border Cooperation of the Presidential Administration. Chebotarev delivered congratulatory speech at the event. Together with Igor Koshin, his deputy, Chebotarev directly met with Khajimba.

Russian MPs visited military points in Abkhazia

On October 11, 2019, in Sokhumi, delegation of Defence and Security Committee of the Russian Federation Council met with de facto leaders of Abkhazia. During the meeting Russian MPs visited the 7th military base of Russia and so-called border points.

Military Exercises

Summarizing summer exercises

At the 7th military base of Russia in Abkhazia were summarized exercises held in summer. During the reporting five months period military units exercised in mountainous, wooded, coastal and lowland areas at Nagvalou, Gudauta and Tsebelda polygons, as well as at Russian polygons (Adighea, Astrakhan and Volgograd Oblast).

During the reporting period military base units carried out over 20 field exits, lasting from 20 days to 2 months. Over 600 tactical exercises and trainings took place as a part of the combat training. The process involved more than 500 military equipment.

Military exercises at the 7th military base in Abkhazia

In October, military base servicemen participated in various types of exercises, including joint training with de facto armed forces of Abkhazia:

  • Artillerists carried out firing exercise at Tsebelda and Nagvalou polygons.
  • Maintenance unit servicemen participated in regular tactical-special exercises at Nagvalou polygon.
  • Reconnaissance unit practiced destroying illegal armed formation of conditional enemy in mountainous areas.
  • Motorised infantry unit carried out field exists and worked out tactical, firing and special training standards.
  • Communication unit exercised to set up high speed digital communication in mountains.
  • Unit of anti-aircraft missile complexes С-300 «Фаворит» exercised to camouflage the unit location from conditional enemy air strikes.
  • As a part of anti-terrorism exercises, servicemen practiced destruction of conditional group of illegal armed formation.
  • Servicemen together with the armed forces of de facto Republic of Abkhazia carried out joint tactical trainings in mountainous and coastal areas.

The 7th military base other news

  • More than 2000 servicemen completed standards as a part of combat training program.
  • More than 40% of the servicemen raised qualification skills consequent to ten-day control-tests.
  • Engineer-sapper unit started to clear up from explosive devices 12 hectares of territory at Tsebelda and Nagvalou polygons.
  • Complex check of the military base watchdogs skills was carried out.
  • Military vehicles inspection of the Russian Southern Military District conducted preventive measures for traffic safety.
  • More than 1000 drivers attended lectures on peculiarities of techniques operation in winter.
  • Preparation for heating season of living and service infrastructure at the military base completed.
  • Servicemen are preparing for the use of weapons and military equipment during the winter.
  • Military base 18 servicemen received new apartments under the accumulated-mortgage program. Each serviceman chose the region on the territory of Russia where he wanted to buy an apartment.
  • Contest was held  on the 100th anniversary of formation of communication troops to identify the best specialist in the field.
  • In Abkhazia, on International Black Sea Day, servicemen carried out cleaning campaign - „Clean Beach“, for the first time.

Military exercises at the 4th  military base in Tskhinvali Region

  • Alarm raised at the military base as a part of summarizing check. Totally more than 1500 servicemen and 400 units of weapons and military equipment were involved in the exercises.

The 4th military base other news

  • Within the multifunctional cultural-leisure center at the military base cinema, beauty salon and children’s room will be constructed for the servicemen’s families.

Border Demarcation

On October 29-31, 2019, the third joint session of so-called demarcation committee of Tskhinvali Region and the Russian Federation was held in Moscow. At the meeting was reviewed the plan of works to be implemented in 2020. The next session will be held in Tskhinvali. The committee was established in 2012 and the first meeting took place in 2018, in Moscow.

Foreign Policy Coordination

On October 4, 2019, in Moscow, Andrey Rudenko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, met with Murat Jioev, the Plenipotentiary Representative of Tskhinvali Region de facto President on the issues of post-conflict settlement. The main topic of the meeting was preparation for the Geneva International Discussions next round on stability and security in Transcaucasia. The Geneva Discussions regular round was held on October 8-9. On September 30, 2019, Rudenko met with Daur Kove, de facto Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well.

Cooperation between legislative agencies

Russian Federation Council administration staff paid three-day visit to Tskhinvali Region and shared experience with the local colleagues. The visit was held under the agreement of September, 2008, signed between Federation Council and de facto Parliament on inter-parliamentary cooperation.

Cooperation in the Field of Economy

Integration process of Russian and Abkhazian payment systems completed 

Integration process of Abkhazian payment system „АПРА“ and Russian payment system „Мир“ has been completed, enabling customers to use „АПРА“ bank cards in all locations where „Мир“ cards are being used. There are up to 100 000 „АПРА“ cardholders in Abkhazia.

Integration process of two payment systems took three years. Completing of the integration process will primarily allow state employees and pensioners to withdraw their salaries and pensions with their „Мир“ bank cards from any ATM located in Abkhazia. Until that, they had to leave Abkhazia to get the money.

Petroleum products export from Russia to Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region has been simplified

Export of petroleum products from Russia to Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region has been simplified allowing export without  temporary periodic customs declaration.

Reconstruction project for Sokhumi Airport has been completed

Reconstruction of „„Sukhumi“ International Airport named after Vladzislav Ardzinba“ will be conducted by private investors and supposedly will take up to two years. LenAirProject – scientific-research institute for air transportation will implement the project. Airport reconstruction project is completed, next, financial side of the issue will be solved and start gradual reconstruction.

Russia to assist the specialists of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Abkhazia to raise qualification

The president of de facto Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Abkhazia, participated in the joint session of the association of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of South and North Caucasus Federal districts of the Russian Federation. At the meeting the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Russia and Abkhazia agreed on cooperation to raise qualification of experts.

Financial Assistance from Russia

Federal budget draft for 2020-2022 was submitted at the State Duma of the Russian Federation. According to the draft Tskhinvali Region will receive assistance of 1.5 billion RUB in 2020, 1.7 billion RUB – in 2021, and 163 million RUB – in 2022. Russian funds will be spent on Tskhinvali Region socio-economic development, as well as on implementation of budget investments and promotion of investment activities within the region.

Russia will allocate following funds for Abkhazia: 1.7 billion RUB - in 2020, 1.9 billion RUB – in 2021,  249 million RUB – in 2022.

Cooperation in the Field of Healthcare

The Moscow government transferred medical equipment to the central medical hospital of de facto Healthcare Ministry of Abkhazia. The hospital provides medical assistance to the Russian servicemen and their family members in Abkhazia.

Russian „Soft Power“

In October, 2019, representatives of the Federal Agency for CIS States, Compatriots living Abroad and International Humanitarian Affairs held Russian language popularizing events in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region.

Popularizing Russian language

  • As a part of the program - „Russian language – step in future towards Russian educational, scientific and cultural achievements“, set of educational and scientific-methodical events was held in Abkhazia with the Agency support. Purpose of the events was to expand geography and scope of Russian language use, popularize Russian education, science and culture. Educational program was conducted in two stages with more than 500 participants taking part.
  • The project of raising qualification of Russian language teachers was implemented in Tskhinvali Region with the Agency support. Events promoting professional and cultural ties of Russian and Tskhinvali Region teachers took place in Tskhinvali and Akhalgori.

Education

Five first-year students of the Rostov Law Institute of the Internal Affairs Ministry of Russia took an oath of allegiance to de facto Republic of Tskhinvali Region. Since 2009, more than 200 students have been studying at Russian MoIA higher education institutions.

Cooperation in the field of youth policy

The round table – „humanitarian cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Ossetia in the fields of youth policy, sport and tourism“ was held at the Russian Public Chamber. As a part of the event exhibition – „South Ossetia – sunny dream country“, took also place.

The Days of Ossetian Culture was marked in St. Petersburg

„The Days of Ossetian Culture“ was marked in St. Petersburg dedicated to the 270th anniversary of the First Ossetian Embassy in Russia. Anatoly Bibilov, de facto President of Tskhinvali Region also participated in the event.

International Intellectual Club „Dialogue“

On October 23, the International Intellectual Club „Dialogue“ meeting was held in Sokhumi on the topic of „the musical-poetic dialogue in the context of Russian-Abkhazian cultural relations“. The club was established in July, 2019, at the representation of the Agency in Abkhazia.

Public Unity Day

On October 31, the Public Unity Day, Russian state holiday, was celebrated in Tskhinvali. The holiday was established in 2005 to commemorate Moscow liberation from Polish intervention in 1612. In Tskhinvali Region this day is included in the state calendar of festive days.