Monthly Review

Review of Kremlin Policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region

2020 / 09 / 01

A delegation of energy experts from Russia visited Abkhazia in August 2020 to overcome the impeding energy crises. Russia is assisting Abkhazia’s medical system because of its limited resources to fight the new coronavirus. The First Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia paid a visit to Abkhazia to evaluate the current and planned socio-economic projects. This article provides an overview of these aforementioned main events that took place in connection with the Kremlin’s policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region in August 2020.

Main Events in Brief:                                                                                                                                       

  • Visit of Russian government officials: The First Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia, Mikhail Babich, paid a visit to Abkhazia to evaluate the current and planned socio-economic projects.
  • Military exercises: Various military exercises were held at the military training grounds in the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation to check readiness for the strategic command-staff exercises – Kavkaz-20.
  • Cooperation in the field of the security: The de facto Minister of Defense of Abkhazia met with his Russian counterpart within the framework of the forum - Army-2020.
  • Cooperation in the field of the economy:  The de facto Prime Minister of Abkhazia met with the newly appointed representative of the Russian Customs Service.
  • Cooperation in the field of energy:  Russia supports the improvement of energy security in the occupied regions of Georgia.
  • Cooperation in the field of healthcare: Russia assists Abkhazia in fighting the new coronavirus.
  • “Soft power:”  A kindergarten in Tskhinvali celebrated the Russia Day.

Visit of Government Officials

The First Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia, Mikhail Babich, visited Abkhazia on August 20, 2020. The Ministry of Economic Development has been supervising the socio-economic direction in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region since January 2020. In the Ministry, Babich is responsible for the directions of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region.

Babich was hosted by the de facto president of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania. The issues of bilateral cooperation and implementation of the current and planned projects within the framework of the investment program supporting the socio-economic development of Abkhazia were discussed at the meeting. Babich also evaluated the state of the energy system and discussed the budget deficit with the Abkhaz side. On the same day, Babich met with the de facto Prime Minister, Aleksander Ankvab.

On the first day of the visit in the Gagra and Gudauta districts, Babich visited facilities constructed under the 2017-2019 investment program. On the second day of the working visit, he visited the Tkvarcheli district and Sokhumi. In the Tkvarcheli district, Babich called on the Central District Hospital under construction and the Palace of Culture which was restored in 2014. In Sokhumi, he toured a hotel complex under construction - the Sukhumskaya Riviera, the Abkhaz State Drama Theater and the Russian State Drama Theater, both theaters restored with the support of Russia. 

Military Exercises

Various military exercises were held at the military training grounds in the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation to test the readiness for the command-staff exercises – Kavkaz-2020. The exercise was directly inspected by the First Deputy Minister of Defense of Russia, the Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov. The exercises took place on August 10-21.

Military Exercises at the 7th military base in Abkhazia

  • At the Tsebelda and the Dzartsemi military training grounds, snipers carried out training tasks using night-vision devices.
  • In mountainous and forested areas, an artillery unit destroyed the armored equipment of a conditional opponent.
  • Paratroopers landed on the shoreline of the Nagvalou military training ground to repel an attack of conditional enemy marines.
  • A motorized infantry and artillery units exercised at the Molkino military training ground, Kransodar Krai.
  • A motorized infantry and artillery units exercised to repel an attack of a conditional enemy infantry at the Tsebelda military training ground.
  • As part of a combat training plan, more than 3,000 military servicemen developed tactical interaction between units and combat equipment crews.
  • Units of anti-aircraft missile systems exercised to repel a conditional opponent’s missile and airborne strikes on the Kapustin Yar and the Ashuluk military training grounds in the Astrakhan Oblast.
  • A logistics unit participated in large-scale special exercises.
  • As a part of tactical exercises, units of tank, artillery and motorized infantry exercised in the tactical protection of the Black Sea coast.
  • Special exercises were carried out with the participation of military servicemen of the military police and the military vehicle inspection.
  • After the modernization of the Grad multiple rocket launcher system, an artillery unit carried out the first combat shooting from the modernized system.
  • A mortar unit carried out anti-landing defense tasks on the coastline.

Other News from the 7th Military Base

  • In August, a ceremony was held every week  for recruits to take their military oath. In total, more than 500 new recruits joined the military base as part of the summer call-up.
  • Emergency preparedness was checked at the military base. A fire brigade exercised to eliminate fire in the ammunition pool of the unit.
  • The military base received the latest metal detectors to equip checkpoints.
  • The military base received modern mobile kits for the psychological study of military servicemen.
  • More than 3,000 military servicemen passed their physical fitness test.
  • The International Military-Technical Forum, Army-2020, was held at the military base for the first time. Modern weapons were presented at the Forum.

Military Exercises at the 4th military base in the Tskhinvali Region

  • A motorized infantry unit, together with the de facto armed forces of the Tskhinvali Region, exercised to destroy conditional enemy saboteurs.

Other News from the 4th Military Base

  • Various events were held on the territory of the Military Base in connection with the 12th  anniversary of the Russian-Georgian war.

Cooperation in the Field of Security

De Facto Minister of Defense of Abkhazia Met with his Russian Counterpart

The de facto Minister of Defense of Abkhazia, Vladimir Anua, met with the Minister of Defense of Russia, Sergey Shoigu, on August 23, 2020. The meeting was held within the framework of the forum - Army-2020, which is being held in Russia. During the meeting, Shoigu mentioned Abkhazia as Russia’s ally and strategic partner in the South Caucasus. According to him, the Russians and Abkhazians are jointly creating a common defense space with the Russian military base on the territory of Abkhazia as the one of its important components.

International Army Games

Russia organized the sixth International Army Games in Russia and several other countries. The games will take place from August 23 to September 5. The event was first held in 2015. Representatives of the de facto armed forces of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region are participating in the event for the first time.

Cooperation in the Field of the Economy

The de facto Prime Minister of Abkhazia, Aleksander Ankvab, met with the representative of the Russian Customs Service in Abkhazia, Konstantin Kozlov, on August 3, 2020. The issues of cooperation between the customs services, harmonization of customs legislation and the development of economic ties were discussed at the meeting. The operation of a specialized Russian customs agency in the Gulrifshi district was also discussed. Kozlov was appointed as a representative of the Customs Service in June. He substituted Sergey Ivanov.

Cooperation in the Field of Energy

Russian Specialists Familiarized Themselves with the Enguri HPP Operation

Electricity supply from the Enguri HPP to Abkhazia will be cut off due to rehabilitation work planned on the HPP from 2021. A delegation of Russian energy experts visited Abkhazia to overcome the impending energy crisis. The experts will evaluate the technical condition of Abkhazia's energy system. During the working visit, the de facto Vice Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy of Abkhazia, Kristina Ozgan, together with the Russian specialists, visited the Enguri HPP energy complex. Earlier, a working meeting was held with the Russian delegation. The formation of the working group was decided in May 2020 at a meeting between the de facto president of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, and the Minister of Energy of Russia, Alexander Novak.

Abkhazia will receive electricity from Russia during the rehabilitation of the Enguri HPP.

Russia’s Support to Ensure Energy Security in the Tskhinvali Region

Following a decision of the Russian government, Russia will discuss and subsequently sign an agreement with the de facto government of the Tskhinvali Region on the technological connection of a section of a power transmission line. Under the project, a section of the overhead power line located in the Tskhinvali Region will be connected to the Severnyy Portal substation in Russia with a high-voltage cable which will pass through the Roki tunnel. The project is valued at RUB 1.33 billion.

Currently, the Tskhinvali Region receives electricity from Russia through the single overhead power transmission line - Zaramag – the Severnyy Portal - Java. Implementation of the agreement will ensure the reliability of the Tskhinvali Region’s energy system.

Cooperation in the Field of Healthcare

The risk of the spreading of the new coronavirus has increased since the resumption of traffic between Abkhazia and Russia on August 1. As of August 31, the number of infected people in Abkhazia was 330, 120 of whom recovered and four died. The first infected tourist was reported on August 8. Russia has taken various steps to support Abkhazia's medical system:

  • By an order of the Minister of Health of Russia, Russian health specialists in Abkhazia assessed the provision of medical care to patients with Covid-19. The guests also inspected a hospital in Gudauta and an emergency substation in Sokhumi.
  • In order to help Abkhaz medics fight the new coronavirus, a group of doctors from the Moscow Medical University arrived in Abkhazia on August 9. The doctors visited the Gudauta Central Republican Hospital where the infected are being treated. During the week-long visit[JM1] , the Russian doctors provided consultancy to their Abkhaz colleagues as well as took part in the treatment of infected patients.
  • According to the Minister of Health of Russia, an additional building in Sochi has been equipped to receive patients infected with the new coronavirus. The new facility will serve patients who become infected during their vacation in Abkhazia.

Russian “Soft Power”

In August 2020, various events were held in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region with the support of the Abkhaz Representation and the Tskhinvali Region Representation of the  Federal Agency for CIS States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Affairs.

Medals for Staff of the Immortal Regiment

By an order of the Minister of Defense of Russia, personnel of the headquarters of the Immortal Regiment in the Tskhinvali Region were awarded medals. The World War II commemorative medals were handed over by the Russian "Ambassador" to the Tskhinvali region, Marat Kulakhmetov.

Kindergarten in Tskhinvali Celebrated Russia Day

The Golden Key kindergarten in Tskhinvali celebrated Russia Day. Representatives of the Federal Agency for CIS States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Affairs presented children's literature, educational games and sweets to the kindergarten teachers and the children at this solemn event.

Photo Exchange Campaign

Sushka, a photo exchange campaign dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the victory in WWII, was held in Tskhinvali. The Tskhinvali Region has been participating in the annual campaign since 2015.

Fifty Abkhaz Students Will Study in Russia

As a result of an online survey, 50 Abkhaz entrants were selected to study within the quotas allocated in Russian universities. Students will specialize in subjects that are most needed in Abkhazia.

Twelfth Anniversary of the Recognition of the Independence by Russia was Celebrated in Sokhumi and Tskhinvali

Events dedicated to the 12th anniversary of the recognition of the independence of the occupied regions of Georgia by Russia were held in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region on August 26. Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region on August 26, 2008. The following events took place on the anniversary:  laying flowers at the memorial of the first de facto President of Abkhazia - Vladislav Ardzinba, laying flowers at the grave of the second de facto President of Abkhazia - Sergey Bagapsh, and festive concerts. Concerts and a car race took place in the Tskhinvali Region on the recognition day. The celebration ended with a gala concert and traditional fireworks.