Publication:  N59 / Review period:  November 1-30, 2023 / Author: Arsen Araqelov

Review of the Kremlin Policy in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region is being prepared within the framework of the project - Roadmap to Kremlin's Policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region. The purpose of the publication is to review important developments related to Russia’s policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region. The review is a monthly publication and will be useful for everyone – decision-makers, public employees, media representatives and other people who are interested in the Kremlin policy in the occupied regions of Georgia.

Meeting Between Aslan Bzhania and Rashid Nurgaliyev

On November 9, during his working visit to Moscow, the President of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, met with the Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Rashid Nurgaliyev who supervises the occupied regions of Georgia in the Security Council. The meeting discussed the issues of cooperation between Russia and the de facto republic in the fields of security and energy. The de facto Prime Minister, Alexander Ankvab, was also present at the meeting. 

The First Visit of the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Government to Tskhinvali

On November 17, the Deputy Chairman of the Russian government, Alexander Novak, visited the occupied Tskhinvali region. Novak oversees the direction of the occupied regions of Georgia. This was his first visit to the region where he participated in the 22nd meeting of the “Intergovernmental Commission on socio-economic cooperation” between Russia and the de facto republic. At the end of the meeting, the parties signed a protocol. As planned, the next, 23rd meeting will be held in Moscow, in the first half of 2024.

The 22nd Meeting of the “Intergovernmental Commission”

Novak personally met with the de facto President Alan Gagloyev. Economic cooperation issues were discussed at the meeting. Novak also checked the progress of Russian-funded projects. On November 18, Novak left the occupied region; however, other members of the Russian delegation continued the inspection of ongoing construction works under the “investment program.”

Chairman of Abkhazia's “Parliament” Visits Moscow

On November 22, during his visit to Moscow, the speaker of the de facto parliament of Abkhazia, Lasha Ashuba, met with members of the Russian Federal Council. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Chairman of the Federal Council, Konstantin Kosachev. The meeting reviewed the results achieved in 2023. Kosachev noted that the year 2023 was a productive year for cooperation between the de facto republic and Russia and cited a meeting held between the commissions of the so-called parliament and the Council in September. For his part, Ashuba said that the “inter-parliamentary” commission still has to work on issues, among which the harmonization of “legislations” is a priority.

Meeting Between Lasha Ashuba and Konstantin Kosachev

Inal Ardzinba Met with a Deputy of the Russian Duma

On November 29, during his visit to Moscow, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia, Inal Ardzinba, met with a deputy of the Russian Duma, Vladimir Resin. The meeting discussed the issues of economy and tourism development in Abkhazia. Resin positively assessed the economic potential of Abkhazia and spoke about the involvement of Russian business in infrastructure development.

Meeting Between Inal Ardzinba and Vladimir Resin

Meeting with Mikhail Galuzin

On November 30, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, who supervises the occupied regions of Georgia in the ministry, Mikhail Galuzin, held a meeting with the Adviser to Alan Gagloyev, the de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Konstantin Kochiev, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia, Irakli Tuzhba. Kochiev and Tuzhba represent the occupied regions at the Geneva International Negotiations and this meeting was devoted to the preparation for the 59th round of the Geneva Talks which will be held on December 5, 2023.

Meeting with the Leadership of “Rosgvardiya”

On November 10, the Minister of Internal Affairs of the de facto Republic of Abkhazia, Major General Robert Kiut, met with the Deputy Director of the Russian Guard and the Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard of the Russian Federation, Colonel General Oleg Plokhoi. The parties discussed the issues of staff training and the implementation of agreements signed between the agencies.

Meeting Between Robert Kiut and Oleg Plokhoi

Murder of Tamaz Ginturi - Response

On November 6, Russian “border guards” apprehended one citizen of Georgia and fatally wounded another, Tamaz Ginturi, while they were crossing the so-called border near the village of Kirbali.

The Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Maria Zakharova, responded to the event. She expressed concern that EU member states blamed Russia for the sequence of events. She believes this is a “politicized, one-sided assessment of the issue, which testifies to the bias and commitment of the European Union.”

As Zakharova stated, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia is surprised that “the facts disseminated by the Ossetian side are ignored,” which “undermines the role of the European Union as one of the co-chairs of the international discussion on security and stability in Transcaucasia,” she added.

Before Zakharova's statement, the so-called State Security Committee of the Tskhinvali region also provided an official account of the event, according to which “border guards,” during their patrol near the village of Tsinangari, the occupied Akhalgori district, came across two so-called border violators who were traveling by car and were in a state of inebriation. According to the so-called agency, Georgian citizens disobeyed and resisted the “border guards,” and “threatened their health.” The so-called committee claims that one of the Georgian citizens had an axe in his hand and was threatening the “border guards.” The statement of the de facto agency also reads that the citizens of Georgia attempted to drive across the so-called border and return on the territory controlled by the central government, when the “border guards” fired warning shots in the air, which were followed by “shooting at the car’s wheels.” As a result, one Georgian citizen was mortally wounded, the de facto government handed him over to the central government, and another was arrested.