In February 2019, Russia discussed the issues regarding the currently on-going, as well as future investment programs for 2020-2021, with the representatives of the de facto governments of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region. Important steps were taken in terms of cooperation in the field of security as well. In this article, you will be able to learn about important developments of February 2019, connected to the Kremlin’s policies in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region.

February 2019 Important Developments Shortly:

• Investment programs:  The Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs of Russian Federation discussed the issue of funding the on-going as well as the 2020-2022 investment programs in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region.
• Cooperation in the field of healthcare:  Russia will be financially ensuring the health insurance of its citizens in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region.
• Cooperation in the field of energy:  the issue of Russian oil company Rosneft was widely discussed in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region in February.
• Military exercises:  large-scale military exercises were held in Southern Military District of Russia, which also covered the territories of Armenia, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region, as well as annexed Crimea.
• Cooperation in the field of security:  the issue of cooperation with Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region was discussed in Russia’s Security Council.
• Foreign policy coordination:  another round of consultations with the Abkhazian side was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation.
• Cooperation with Russian regions:  in February 2019, the Krasnodar Krai and Nenets Autonomous Okrug were active in deepening their relations with Abkhazia.
• Soft power:  numerous events were held in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region to popularize Russian language and literature.

Planning the Investment Programs

In February 2019, the issue of funding the on-going as well as the 2020-2022 investment programs in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region was on top of the agenda at the Ministry of North Caucasus Affairs of Russian Federation. On February 21, this issue was discussed by the Minister of North Caucasus Affairs of Russia, Sergey Chebotarev and his Deputy, Igor Koshin, with the de facto Prime Minister of Abkhazia, Valeri Bganba.

A day before, on February 20, Koshin, who is the curator of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region at the Ministry, held the first meeting of the Inter-Structure Working Group on Cooperation in the Field of Investment, existing at the Intergovernmental Commission on Social-Economic Cooperation between Russia and Abkhazia. The aim of the Group’s work is to reduce barriers for cooperation in the field of investments. On February 18, Koshin also discussed the issue of the implementation of investment programs with the de facto President of Tskhinvali Region, Anatoly Bibilov.

Cooperation in the Field of Healthcare

On February 7, 2019, in Moscow, the Deputy Minister of Health of Russian Federation, Dimitri Kostenikov and the de facto Minister of Health of Tskhinvali Region, Giorgi Totchiev, signed the financial provision protocol of the Agreement signed between Russia and Tskhinvali Region about the issue of health insurance. The Agreement, which was signed on November 14, 2017, ensures the health insurance of Russian citizens permanently living in Tskhinvali Region. The aim of the Agreement is to reduce the number of those wishing to receive services of the Georgian healthcare system.

Cooperation in the Field of Energy

Rosneft Extends the Area of its Work

Russian energy company Rosneft has started building two fuel stations in Tskhinvali. The issue of the construction was agreed during the 2017 meeting between the de facto President of Tskhinvali Region, Anatoly Bibilov and the Executive Director of Rosneft, Igor Sechin. According to the information available on the company’s webpage, Rosneft also has fuel stations in Abkhazia as well.

The issue of Rosneft was also important in Abkhazia this February. The issue of transferring the rights of discovering, producing and processing oil fields to Rosneft and Apsny-Oil was discussed in the topical committee of the de facto Parliament of Abkhazia. Numerous discussions were held and articles written about this issue. Ultimately, the main focus was on the activities of Apsny-Oil, in which a number of de facto MPs see the signs of corruption.

(The issue of producing oil in Abkhazia was activated by May 26, 2009 agreement on cooperation between the de facto Minister of Economy of Abkhazia, Kristina Ozgan and President of Rosneft, Sergey Bogdanchikov, based on which Rosneft acquired the rights of researching the oil and natural gas reserves in the Abkhazian part of Black Sea shores.)

Abkhazia will Get Russian Electricity – Who will Pay?

Based on the agreement reached between Abkhazia and Russian Federation, from February 27, 2019, Abkhazia started getting Russian electricity to solve its energy deficit. Due to the fall of water levels on Enguri HPP and the risk of the emergency halt of the Plant, Abkhazian districts were getting limited electricity from February 20. According to the statement of the de facto Prime Minister of Abkhazia, Valeri Bganba, Abkhazia can pay for the Russian electricity from the 2019 investment program.

At the same time, the Ministry of Economy of Georgia has stated that “in order to avoid overloading Enguri HPP and maintain optimal balance, a short-term contract has been signed between Georgia’s Electricity System Commercial Operator (ESCO) and Inter Rao Company.” According to the contract, “in order to cover the deficit of the occupied Abkhazia, it will receive a one-time supply of 45 million kWh of electricity in March 2019.”

Next Round of Consultations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia

On February 14, 2019, in Moscow, the next round of consultations between the Russian and Abkhazian sides was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation. The Director of the 4th CIS Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Aleksey Pavslovski and the de facto Ambassador of Abkhazia to Russia, Igor Akhba, participated in the meeting. The consultations were held in terms of the Foreign Policy Coordination Mechanism, which was formed through the March 11, 2015 memorandum signed between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia and de facto Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia.

Military Trainings

Tragic Development

On February 9, 2019, a Russian military service member died in a car crash at the village of Primorski in Gudautua District. According to the existing information, the military service member, who was serving in Abkhazia through a contract, failed to control a light vehicle and crashed into a lorry, which also belonged to the Russian military base. Three Russian military servicemen also died in Abkhazia on January 18, 2019, as a result of a road accident.

Large-Scale Exercises

Large-scale tactical military exercises of motorized rifle and tank divisions were held in the Southern Military District of Russian Federation, which also covered the territories of Armenia, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region, as well as annexed Crimea. The exercises were held on 15 military polygons. Experience acquired in Syria was also used during the exercises.

Military Exercises on the 7th Military Base

February of 2019, much like January, was quite active for those serving at the 7th Russian military base in Abkhazia. Throughout the month, various types of military exercises were held on the Nagvalou and Tsebelda military polygons in Abkhazia, including:

• During tactical training, Russian soldiers destroyed the supposed hostile troopers approaching from the rear.
• Russian soldiers controlled and monitored the movement of the military forces participating in tactical training through drones. Drones placed on the 7th military base can fly within 100 km radius from the control point.
• Motor rifle brigades of the 7th military base, for the first time rehearsed their actions in terms of the air mobility group. Air mobility groups were formed at the military base in December 2018 for the first time, with the initiative of the Commander of Southern Military District, Aleksandr Dvornikov.
• The specialists of the Southern Military District Topographic Service created model-maps of the local territory at Tsebelda military polygon.
• Anti-Aircraft personnel of the Southern Military District destroyed over 60 targets of the supposed hostile force in Abkhazia.
• The service members of the 7th military base rehearsed the defense tactics against naval forces and marine trooper attacks of the supposed hostile forces at Nagvalou military polygon.

Equipping the 7th Military Base

In February 2019, the 7th military base received ten units of the latest armored Gaz Tigr-M vehicles. The vehicles are produced with the purpose of performing intelligence operations, escorting and defending military convoys, patrolling and fire support to military service members. In terms of the re-equipping plan of the military forces of Southern Military District, ten modern portable radiolocation Soboliatnik stations, designated for artillery intelligence, were delivered to the base.

Non-Military News of the 7th Military Base

The women’s public organization of the 7th military base will be holding over 50 various types of cultural-entertainment events throughout 2019.

Military Exercises and Festivities at the 4th Military Base

February of 2019 was much more passive in terms of military exercises in Tskhinvali Region, unlike Abkhazia. However, the Day of the Defender of Homeland was specially celebrated in Tskhinvali. On February 23, the de facto President of Tskhinvali Region, Anatoly Bibilov, congratulated the employees of the 4th Russian military base on the Day of the Defender of Homeland. According to Bibilov’s statement, the 4th military base is the guarantor of Tskhinvali Region’s security. The Commander of the military base, Aleksandr Kravtsov, also addressed the troops with a celebratory speech. The Deputy Head of the Division for Cross Border Cooperation of the Administration of the President of Russian Federation, Denis Travin, also attended the concert dedicated to the Day of the Defender of Homeland.

Cooperation in the Field of Security

Russian Security Council was especially active in February. On February 8, in Moscow, the Secretary of the de facto Security Council of Abkhazia, Muhamed Kilba and the Secretary of the Security Council of Russia, Nikolai Petrushev, signed an Agreement on the 2019-2020 Plan of cooperation between Russian and Abkhazian Security Councils. The plan of cooperation envisages:  cooperation between military and law enforcement structures, as well as special forces; continuing consultations between the de facto Ministries of Abkhazia and their Russian counterparts on the issue of the implementation of the Agreement on Alliance and Strategic Partnership between Russia and Abkhazia; exchanging information on the main directions of cooperation. (On March 24, 2014, a memorandum of mutual understanding was signed between the de facto Security Council of Abkhazia and the Security Council of Russia, in Moscow. On April 20, 2015, the parties agreed on the plan of cooperation for 2015-2016, and on August 4, 2017, they agreed on the cooperation plan for 2017-2018.)

On February 20, 2019, in Moscow, the Secretary of the de facto Security Council of Tskhinvali Region, Valeri Valiev, discussed the issues of cooperation in the field of security with the Deputy Secretary of Russian Security Council, Rashid Nurgaliyev, who is the curator of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region in the Council. Current issues of ensuring security of Tskhinvali Region were discussed during the meeting, including those of the implementation of the events planned in terms of the March 18, 2015 Agreement on Alliance and Integration signed between Russia and Tskhinvali Region. (On April 10, 2018, in Moscow, Valiev and Patrushev signed the 2018-2019 Cooperation Plan.  The Plan envisages cooperation in the fields of military, military-technical, law enforcement structures and sharing information and experience between customs services).

Cooperation with Russian Regions

Abkhazia was active in terms of cooperating with Russian regions in February as well. If on January 31, 2019, the delegation of the de facto Government of Abkhazia discussed the issues of economic and social cooperation with the Deputy Governor of Krasnodar Krai, Igor Galas, on February 15, in Sochi, the de facto Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Abkhazia, Jansugh Nanba, together with Igor Galas, signed the 2019-2021 events program in terms of the 2019 Russian Investment Forum. One day before, Nanba and the Governor of Nenets Autonomous Okrug of Russian Federation, Aleksandr Tsibulski, signed a memorandum on the intentions of developing cooperation in the fields of trade and economy, science and technology, as well as culture.

Russian Soft Power

In February 2019, the representatives of the Federal Agency for CIS States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Affairs, were active in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region in terms of the popularization of Russian language and literature.

On February 8, in Tskhinvali, in the Russian Science and Culture Center, the Day of Russian Science was marked and students from Tskhinvali schools were invited. On February 20, with the support of the Center, regional festival Russian Living Classics was held in the Russian secondary school of Akhalgori District and on February 21, in Tskhinvali, the International Day of Mother Language was celebrated for the students of the Russian language courses.

The day of remembrance of Russian poet, Aleksandr Pushkin, was celebrated in Tskhinvali on February 10 and on February 11 in Sokhumi. The year of 2019 has also been declared the Year of Pushkin in Tskhinvali Region.

Other News

Who will be the future leader of Abkhazia?

On February 5, 2019, according to the article published in „Российская газета”, the Public Chamber of Abkhazia, in cooperation with the Public Chamber of Russia and the Fund for Democracy Problem Research, conducted a sociological study entitled Abkhazia 2018:  Social-Political Processes and Problems Concerning the Population. According to the study, Inal Ardzinba, who works in Russia and is well known to the Russian political circles, ended up on top of the rankings of the future leaders of Abkhazia (detailed information about Inal Ardzinba can be found here).

The publishing of the information in a Russian newspaper caused certain confusion in Abkhazia. The confusion was probably caused by the clear leadership on Inal Ardzinba in the polls. Ardzinba is the Chairman of the Youth Affairs Council of the Patriarch of Russia, Kiril and former Head of Department at the Presidential Administration. Despite his young age, he was considered to be a rather influential and tough official during his time at the Presidential Administration. According to certain opinions, some groups in Russia are lobbying Ardzinba’s appearance in Abkhazian politics. This is why, Ardzinba’s top position in polls caused discontent in the political groups that dislike his candidacy. The misunderstanding that took place is also probably due to the confrontation between Ardzinba’s supporters and his opposition.