Vladimir Putin`s Visiti to Abkhazia

On August 12, 2009, the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin visited Abkhazia for the first time since the 2008 Russia-Georgia War. Putin was vacationing in Sochi when he unexpectedly cut his vacation short and paid a short visit to Sokhumi. A month earlier, on July 13, 2009, President of Russia, Dimitri Medvedev, also visited Tskhinvali region for the first time since the War.

Putin used his first Abkhazian visit to voice political messages towards Georgia and the international community. He started his visit by going to the memorial of those killed in the 1992-1993 Georgian-Abkhazian confrontation. In terms of the visit, Putin also met the de facto President of Abkhazia, Sergei Baghapsh, after which negotiations with extended personnel were held between the Russian and Abkhazian sides. Putin also met with Baghapsh’s opposition. After finalizing the official program, Putin also met Abkhazian elders. 

Field of Security – Strengthening Border Defense

Field of security was also the main topic in the interviews given to the Abkhazian media by Putin prior to his visit. Before the visit Putin stated that Russia plans to strengthen its positions in the field of security of Abkhazia:  “Russia will place military forces in Abkhazia. We will build a modern border defense system. All of these measures will be additional serious guarantees of security for Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region. All this will cost RUB 15-16 billion (USD 463 million).” According to Putin, he was not excluding a new conflict in the region while President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, remained in power. However, he stated that any attempts by Georgia to use force against Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region would be “much more difficult” after the 2008 War. 

On the first anniversary of Russia-Georgia War, Putin named the strengthening of Abkhazia’s security as a priority. He stated that Russia would spend USD 500 million for boosting its military presence in Abkhazia. He also said that this money would be spent on strengthening Russian military bases in Abkhazia and the security of the de facto administrative border. 

Putin named strengthening the border as one of the priorities. This visit confirmed that Russia would not be increasing the number of its troops in Abkhazia. Member of Putin’s delegation, Minister of Defense of Russia, Anatoly Serdiukov, made a statement about this. He said that “the number of troops in Abkhazia will no longer increase and 3,636 people that are designated to serve on the base are enough”. 

Social-Economic Field – Assistance Will Continue

During his visit Putin also focused on the social-economic issues. He promised Abkhazians that he would continue paying pensions to them and ensure the supply of the capital necessary to restore Abkhazian economy. According to Putin’s statement, in 2009, despite the financial crisis, Russia allocated USD 80 million to Abkhazia in the form of budgetary support. Member of Putin’s delegation, President of the Russian oil company RosNeft stated that his company would help Abkhazia in discovering oil fields on its territory and developing them.

Putin stated that during the following year, special attention would be paid to ensuring Abkhazia’s security and social-economic development, for which RUB 10-11 billion had already been allocated in the period of 2010-2011. Putin said that the allocated resources would be spent on infrastructure, communication, transport, healthcare and educational objects. It is interesting that Putin stated about the allocation of resources not during his negotiations with Baghapsh, but during the meeting with the Abkhazian opposition, which was also attended by the former Vice President, Raul Khajimba. Khajimba was personally supported by Putin in the previous illegitimate elections. 

Issue of Recognition

Putin did not pay serious attention to Abkhazia’s international recognition during his press conference and stated that Abkhazia does not require recognition from states other than Russia. Putin’s statement was made as Abkhazia was expressing its readiness for developing political and economic cooperation with countries other than Russia as well, especially Turkey, where Abkhazian diaspora lives.

Putin also stated that the world opinion has changed in Russia’s favor since 2008 and “practically the whole international community” has recognized that Georgia was an aggressor in the conflict. 

Twin Boys – Valodia and Dimitri

In terms of his visit Putin, together with Baghapsh, also visited a newly opened maternity center in Sokhumi, where the chief doctor of the center, Liana Achba, stated to the guests that a young lady had given birth to twin boys several minutes before their arrival and through the joint decision of the mother and the maternity center personnel – they had been named Valodia and Dimitri (in honor of Vladimir Putin and Dimitri Medvedev). 

Explosion in Sokhumi

On the day of Putin’s visit to Abkhazia, explosions took place on Sokhumi and Gagra, taking the lives of two people. Abkhazian side named Georgian security forces as the organizers of the explosions, who, according to the First Deputy Prosecutor of Abkhazia, could not cope with recognition of Abkhazia’s independence and Putin’s visit to Abkhazia.