In December 2019, winter training session started in the Russian Federation Southern Military District, including Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region. In 2020-2022, Russia will continue to finance investment programs in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region. As of 2019, in Abkhazia up to 50,000 people have received Russian health insurance policies. The first cruise ship from Russia docked in the port of Sokhumi. The article provides an overview of the major events that took place in December 2019 in connection with the Kremlin's policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region.

December 2019 Important Developments Shortly:

• Important meetings: de facto President of the Tskhinvali Region met with the members of the Federal Council of the Russian Federation.
• Military exercises: Winter training session started in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region.
• Cooperation in the field of security: Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces visited the Tskhinvali Region.
• Cooperation in the field of Law-enforcement: Delegation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation visited the Tskhinvali Region.
• Foreign policy coordination: The Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry held preparatory meeting for the 50th Round of the Geneva International Discussions.
• Cooperation in the field of economy: For the first time since 1993, the first Russian cruise ship docked in the port of Sokhumi.
• Budgetary assistance: Russia will finance salary increase for the public sector workers in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region.
• Investment programs: Russia will finance new investment programs for Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region in 2020-2022.
• Cooperation in the field of healthcare: In Abkhazia up to 50,000 people have received Russian health insurance policies.
• Cooperation in various fields: Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation met with the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the World Abkhaz-Abaza Congress.
• Cooperation with the regions of Russia: Abkhaz delegation visited Crimea annexed by Russia.
• „Soft power“:  The 10th anniversary of „Rossotrudnichestvo“ was marked in Abkhazia.

Important Meetings

Anatoly Bibilov, de facto President of the Tskhinvali Region, participated in the meeting between Vyacheslav Bitarov, head of North Ossetian Republic – Alania, and members of the Federal Council of the Russian Federation. At the meeting, Bibilov asked Russian Senators to assist in resolving problems with vehicles’ entry in Russia from the Tskhinvali Region. In September, the Russian Customs Service tightened control over the temporary entry in Russia for vehicles registered in the Tskhinvali Region.

Military Exercises

Winter training session started in the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation. Exercises in combat trainings will take place at more than 30 military polygons on the District territory, including Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region. During the new academic year Military District servicemen will participate in camp gatherings and field exists, tactical and command-staff exercises at various levels. The practice of conducting joint tactical exercises with de facto armed forces of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region will continue this year.

Military exercises at the 7th military base in Abkhazia

• Servicemen repelled illegal armed formation of conditional enemy in an attempt to attack infrastructure of the military settlement.
• More than 3000 servicemen exercised in control and combat shootings using modern complexes of radio controlled field shooting devices.
• Military base various units started intensive individual training course in mountainous and wooded areas.
• Motorized infantry unit carried out first field exit of the new academic year. Up to 1000 servicemen participated in the training with 200 recruits among them.
• At Maykop polygon, Republic of Adygea, about 100 servicemen improved their skills in high-velocity shootings from tank cannons.
• During the tactical-special exercises in mountainous area, reconnaissance unit destroyed illegal formation of conditional enemy.  
• Recruits started to master wheeled and tracked vehicles driving techniques. Until May 2020, 800 drivers and mechanic drivers will undergo the trainings. More than 300 practical lessons will be delivered during the period.
• Reconnaissance unit of the military base destroyed group of conditional terrorists. Servicemen completed combat-training task, captured the terrorists and seized documents with important information.
• More than 3000 servicemen of motorized infantry, artillery divisions and tank crews have launched combat shootings

The 7th military base other news

• The Military Vehicle Inspection has completed a month of the base vehicles preparation for wintertime. Totally 500 units of equipment were checked.
• In order to prepare military polygons for new academic year, sappers of cleared 12 hectares of territory from unexploded ordnances.
• Military inspectors carried out the 7th military base comprehensive check.
• 50 recruits of the Fall call-up solemnly took an oath. They have been recruited by military commissariats from Kursk Oblast and Krasnodar Krai.
• Military base received 300 junior military specialists.
• As a part of servicemen planned replacement, 300 junior military specialists from 18 technical training centers of the Russian Ministry of Defense arrived at the military base.

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

• At Dzartsemi polygon, military base snipers of the 58th general military army of the Southern Military District started special training course. Tactical groups held march and started tactical exercises following to the new system.
• Radio-electronic reconnaissance unit exercised to repel conditional adversary UAVs.

Cooperation in the Field of Security

Meeting between Ibragim Gaseev, de facto Miniser of Defence and Sergey Istrakov,  Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Ground Forces at the Russian Ministry of Defence, on inter-agency cooperation was held in the Tskhinvali Region. At the meeting was discussed implementation of the agreement on Tskhinvali Region de facto armed forces separate units entry into the Russian armed forces. The agreement was signed on March 31, 2017. According to Gaseev, Istrakov made a huge contribution for the region „citizens“ to undergo military service at the 4th military base and various units of the 58th army as receiving the region citizens at the 4th military base was under his control. 508 citizens of the Tskhinvali Region currently undergo military service at the base

Cooperation in the field of Law-enforcement

Delegation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation visited Tskhinvali. Russian delegation met with Igor Naniev, de facto Minister of Internal Affairs of the Tskhinvali Region. During the meeting, the sides discussed bilateral cooperation issues, with special emphasis on the agreement implementation on co-financing costs for gradual improvement of material and technical support for the region Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as the issue of monetary satisfaction and social guarantees for the representatives of law enforcement agencies.

Foreign Policy Coordination

On December 5, 2019, in Moscow, Andrey Rudenko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, met with Daur Kove, de facto Minister of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia. The meeting main topic was preparation for the 50th round of the Geneva International Discussions on stability and security in Transcaucasia. The 50th round was held on December 10-11. Rudenko was the Head of the Russian Delegation in Geneva.

Cooperation in the Field of Economy

For the first time since 1993, Russian cruise ship „Knyaz Vladimir“ docked in the port of Sokhumi. This is the ship test run aimed to refine existing procedures. Regular maritime traffic between Russia and Abkhazia is scheduled from 2020 with 6 cruises planned for the year. Cruise ship can serve 600-700 passengers. Tickets went on sale on December 24.

Budgetary Assistance

De facto government of the Tskhinvali Region adopted the draft budget for 2020

De facto government of Tskhinvali Region adopted the draft budget for 2020. Russian financial assistance to the budget will comprise 82%. Revenue portion for the budget of 2020 was determined in the amount of 7.57 billion RUB. Russian financial assistance to the budget amounts to 6.2 billion RUB out of which 4.7 billion RUB will be spent on the region socio-economic development and 1.5 billion RUB – on budget investments.

Russia will finance salaries of public servants in the Tskhinvali Region

Znaur Gasiyev, de facto ambassador of the Tskhinvali Region to the Russian Federation, and Maksim Topilin, the Russian Minister of Labour, signed the protocol that envisages salary increase for the employees of de facto state and municipal institutions in the Tskhinvali Region at the expense of Russian co-financing. Following to the signed document the agreement validity was extended till December 31, 2022. The Tskhinvali Region employees will have the same salary as those at the similar institutions in North Caucasus Federal District of the Russian Federation. Salary increase applies to the employees in the following fields: education, medicine, culture, fitness and sports, veterinarians and media.

Russia will continue to co-finance salaries of budget organization employees in Abkhazia

On December 10, 2019, de facto government of Abkhazia supported amendments to the wage co-financing agreement between Russia and Abkhazia for certain categories of public sector workers. According to the amendment agreement validity will be prolonged till 2022 inclusive.

Investment Programs

4.5 billion RUB for Abkhazia

On December 19, the 18th Intergovernmental Session on socio-economic cooperation between the Russian Federation and Abkhazia was held in Sokhumi. At the session the committee approved investment program for 2020-2022, promoting socio-economic development of Abkhazia. For three years, Russian financial assistance to Abkhazia will amount 4.5 billion RUB, with 1.5 billion RUB annually. 109 activities are planned under investment program for 2020-2022, including construction of various facilities and reconstruction of transport, electricity and engineering infrastructure, water supply and drain systems, social security, as well as flood preventive shoreline protection activities. 

The Tskhinvali Region has switched to digital broadcasting

With the financial support of the Russian Federation, the Tskhinvali Region has almost completely switched to digital broadcasting. The project was implemented under the 2018-2019 investment program promoting socio-economic development of the Tskhinvali Region. At this point, 92% of the region is covered by digital TV signal. 157.5 million RUB was spent for the project implementation.

Russia investigates embezzlement of 3 billion RUB allocated for the Tskhinvali Region restoration

In Pyatigorsk, Uruzmag Jagaev, de facto Prosecutor General of the Tskhinvali Region, met with Dmitry Demeshin, Deputy Prosecutor General of Russia. As he stated the Russian Prosecutor General's Office is investigating several criminal cases relating to misappropriation of funds allocated to the Tskhinvali Region infrastructure restoration after the War of 2008. Most criminal cases are being investigated on the territory of Russia. Russian funds misappropriation exceeded 3 billion RUB.

Russia financed four new facilities opened in Tskhinvali

On December 24, 2019, in Tskhinvali, four new facilities opened funded under the investment program promoting socio-economic development of the Tskhinvali Region. Anatoly Bibilov, de facto President, participated in the ceremony along with Marat Kulakhmetov, Russian „ambassador“ to the region, Igor Koshin, Deputy Minister of North Caucasus Affairs, and Denis Travin, Deputy Head of the Directorate for Cross Border Cooperation of the Presidential Administration. In Tskhinvali the following facilities have been built: kindergarten and building of the Committee on Taxes and Fees, as well as maternity home and multi-apartment buildings.

Cooperation in the Field of Healthcare

Up to 50,000 people in Abkhazia have received Russian health insurance policies

According to Tamaz Tsakhnakia, de facto Minister of Health of Abkhazia, in 2019, compulsory medical insurance policies of the Russian Federation were issued to more than 49 000 citizens of the Russia permanently residing in Abkhazia. According to the Russian compulsory medical insurance Federal Foundation, 3000 policy owner residents of Abkhazia have received medical care on the territory of Russia.

In 2019, 870 people from the Tskhinvali Region received medical care in Russia

According to Georgy Totchiyev, de facto Minister of Health of the Tskhinvali Region, in 2019, 870 people from the Tskhinvali Region received specialized, high-tech medical care at the Russian hospitals. Similar to Abkhazia, compulsory health insurance policies are also being issued to the citizens of the Russian Federation permanently residing in the Tskhinvali Region. By this time, more than 1,000 citizens have been issued policies.

Cooperation in Various Fields

On December 19, 2019, Andrey Rudenko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, met with Mussa Ekzekov, Chairman of the Supreme Council of the World Abkhaz-Abaza Congress. The sides discussed the issue of continued cooperation between the Ministry and the Congress.

Cooperation with the Regions of Russia

Abkhaz delegation visited Crimea annexed by the Russian Federation. Delegation attended the inter-governmental committee second session on cooperation development in trade-economic, scientific-technical and humanitarian fields. At present trade turnover between Crimea and Abkhazia amounts 400 000 USD.

Russian „Soft Power“

The 10th anniversary of „Rossotrudnichestvo“ was marked in Abkhazia

The 10th anniversary of the representation of Federal Agency for CIS States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Affairs was marked in Abkhazia. The Representation was established in Sokhumi, on December 18, 2009. The representation main goal is to develop cultural, educational, scientific-technical and informational connections between Abkhazia and Russia. Vadim Chekha is the Representation Head since October 2018.

Russian books as gift

Under the targeted program - "Russian Language", „embassy“ of the Russian Federation in the Tskhinvali Region and the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Tskhinvali transferred books for learning Russian language to the schools of the villages Zakhori and Akhalgori. Zakhori school received 300 books, Akhalgori school - 400. Similar events were held in the villages Orchosani and Tsinagari.

Russian language and computer learning courses

38 students have successfully completed Russian language proficiency courses, and 17 students - computer courses. Learning courses were organized by the Agency representation in the Tskhinvali Region.

A center for getting education in Russian and learning Russian language will be opened in Abkhazia

On the base of the faculty of Pedagogy of so-called State University of Abkhazia, Center for getting education in Russian and learning Russian language will be opened early 2020. The opening will be supported by the Pedagogical University of Chechnya.

The Kremlin Christmas tree

On December 25, 17 Abkhaz schoolchildren visited the Kremlin Christmas tree in Moscow. The Abkhaz side has been participating in the event for the past 16 years. 17 schoolchildren from Tskhinvali region also participated.