On November 18, 2022, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia, Inal Ardzinba, met with the Russian “Ambassador” to Abkhazia, Mikhail Shurgalin.

The meeting discussed current issues of mutual cooperation, including the issue of granting Russian citizenship to “citizens” of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia in a simplified manner. After the signing of an agreement regulating dual citizenship, the “parties” started working on the ratification process.

Also, the meeting discussed the issue of creating a coordination mechanism within the tripartite format (between Russia, Belarus and the de facto Republic of Abkhazia), which ensures the monitoring and development of socio-economic, humanitarian and political relations between the parties.

It should be noted that at the request of members of the de facto parliament, Ardzinba informed Shurgalin that after “deputies’” visit to the Russian Duma, employees of the Russian Federal Security Service stopped the Abkhaz delegation at the Psou checkpoint, checked their personal belongings and halted them at the “border” of the occupied Abkhazia and Russia. Ardzinba noted that in some cases employees of the Russian Security Service on the “border” harass and halt “citizens” of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia. That's why Ardzinba asked Shurgalin that employees of the Federal Security Service of Russia treat “citizens” with respect. He also noted that a corresponding note will be sent to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the near future.