The year 2019 started tragically for Russian citizens in Abkhazia. Three military servicemen from the Russian 7th military base died during military trainings and two Russian citizens died as a result of an attack by criminals. In this article, you can learn about the aforementioned and other important developments from January 2019 that are connected to Kremlin’s policies in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region.
January 2019 Important Developments Shortly:
Vitali Mutko’s Sphere of Responsibility Grows
After Vladimir Putin’s new Presidency after May 18, 2018, Vitali Mutko, became the curator of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region as Deputy Prime Minister in the newly formed Government of Russia. On June 5, 2018, Mutko was also appointed to the position of a Co-Chairman of the Intergovernmental Commission on Social Economic Cooperation between Russia and Abkhazia and Russia and Tskhinvali Region. On January 22, 2019, the Prime Minister of Russia, Dimitri Medvedev, when distributing the spheres of responsibilities for the implementation of state programs between his Deputies, gave Mutko several programs, including the one regarding the “Development of North Caucasus Federal District” and “Foreign Policy Activities” (in terms of social-economic cooperation with Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region).
Inspection of Investment Projects
On January 29, 2019, the Director of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs of Russia, Anton Melnik, paid a three-day working visit to Tskhinvali. Melnik inspected the maternity house being constructed in Tskhinvali together with the “Ambassador” of Russia to Tskhinvali Region, Marat Kulakhmetov. The purpose of his visit was to assess the situation regarding the funding of the project as well as regarding the construction materials.
In terms of the visit, Melnik also discussed the issues of social-economic cooperation between Russia and Tskhinvali Region. The parties also talked about the priority areas of the 2020-2022 investment programs. During the meetings they also discussed the issues of preparing the upcoming meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Social Economic Cooperation between Russia and Tskhinvali Region. The meeting will be held in the first half of 2019 in Tskhinvali.
Military Trainings
Tragic Development
January 2019 turned out to be tragic for the Russian 7th military base in Abkhazia. On January 18, three Russian soldiers died as a result of a road accident. An armored transport vehicle that was moving from the military polygon in Tsebelda towards the permanent placement point of the Russian army in Abkhazia, fell into a 40m ravine in Kodori Gorge. Three Russian soldiers died immediately, while two others sustained heavy injuries. The casualties were transported to a military hospital with a helicopter.
Military Trainings on the 7th Military Base
Military servicemen of the 7th military base in Abkhazia started 2019 quite actively:
Military Trainings on the 4th Military Base
The 4th military base in Tskhinvali was relatively passive, where, apart from other military events, a test emergency was announced in terms of the combat readiness assessment in January 2019.
Infrastructural Projects for the Military
Parallel to military exercises, the construction of civilian infrastructure for Russian troops was also taking place in Abkhazia. According to the statement of the representative of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation, four new housing buildings and a kindergarten will be constructed for the servicemen of the 7th military base in Abkhazia.
Crimes against Russian Citizens
There were two cases of Russian citizens being attacked in Abkhazia observed in January 2019. On January 14, an auto-mechanic born in the Russian town of Kostroma, Mikhail Maslov, was killed in the village of Tamishi in Ochamchire District. He had lived in Abkhazia for five years. Two criminals entered the yard of Maslov’s house, where they shot him for resisting. Maslov died on the spot.
An entrepreneur from Moscow, Mikhail Evalenko, was heavily injured on January 15 in the village of Lidzava in Gagra District during the explosion of Audi Q7 automobile. He had been running businesses in Abkhazia for a long period of time. After the end of the Georgian-Abkhazian confrontation, Evalenko bought a house in Abkhazia, where he lived for 15 years. Evalenko died on January 26 in a hospital in Moscow.
Due to this, on January 16, 2019, a public union Society of Russians of Abkhazia even published a statement regarding the worsening of crime situation in Abkhazia and cases of attacks on Russian citizens, calling on the local de facto government to arrest the armed criminals. On January 21, the de facto Prosecutor’s Office of Abkhazia stated that two persons from the village of Kutoli had been arrested for Maslov’s murder and had admitted their guilt.
Of the publicized cases of murder of Russian citizens on the territory of Abkhazia, the September 2013 murder of the First Secretary of the Russian “Embassy”, Dimitri Vishernev and his spouse, is especially noteworthy. In July 2017, the murder of a Russian tourist even caused a small rift in the Abkhazian-Russian relations. The “Ambassador” of Russia to Abkhazia, Semyon Gregoriev, sharply criticized the de facto government of Abkhazia due to the murder of the Russian tourist. The “Ambassador’s” criticism was harshly assessed by Abkhazian politicians and the public, accusing him of interfering in domestic Abkhazian affairs.
Inter-Structure Cooperation
On January 29, 2019 the de facto Prosecutor General of Tskhinvali Region, Uruzmag Jagaev, met with the General Prosecutor of Russia, Yuri Chaika in Moscow. The parties discussed issues of bilateral cooperation and the results of agreements already reached. During Jagaev’s visit, the representatives of the de facto Prosecutor’s Office of Tskhinvali Region also improved their qualifications at the University of the Prosecutor’s Office of Russia.
Cooperation with Russian Regions
On January 31, 2019, the delegation of the de facto Government of Abkhazia visited Krasnodar Krai. The Abkhazian delegation was led by de facto Vice Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, Jansugh Nanba. Nanba was met by the Deputy Governor of Krasnodar Krai, Igor Galas. Issues of economic and social cooperation were discussed during the meeting. According to the information of the Krasnodar Krai Administration, trade turnover between Krasnodar Krai and the de facto Republic of Abkhazia exceeds USD 44.5 million.
Russia’s Soft Power
In January 2019, the Federal Agency for CIS States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Affairs (Россотрудничества) started preparatory meetings with those from Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region seeking to enroll in Russian universities. On January 15, such a meeting was held in Tskhinvali, in Russian Science and Culture Center and on January 25 it was also held in an international center Moscow House in Sokhumi.
On January 24, 2019, at the representation of the Agency to Sokhumi, an evening dedicated to the birth of Vladimir Visotsky was held. Visotsky’s birthday has been celebrated at the Agency’s representation every year since its establishment.