Monthly Review

Review of Kremlin Policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region

2020 / 11 / 01

Publication: N22 / Review period: October 1-31, 2020

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.

October 2020 Main Events in Brief:                                                                                                                                         

  • Visit to Russia:  Bzhania visited Russia for the fifth time as the president of the de facto republic of Abkhazia.
  • Government official:  Mikhail Babich, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development, responsible for the direction of the occupied regions of Georgia, paid a two-day working visit to Tskhinvali.
  • New military commander:  The Commander of the 4th military base of the Russian Federation in the Tskhinvali region, Aleksandr Kravtsov, was replaced by Roman Viazovsky.
  • Cooperation between law enforcement agencies:  Abkhazia and Russia agreed to co-finance the increased costs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
  • “Border” demarcation:  The next session of the so-called Demarcation Commission of the Russian Federation and the Tskhinvali region was held in Tskhinvali.
  • Coordination of foreign policy:  The de facto ambassador of the Tskhinvali region to Russia met with the spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Maria Zakharova.
  • Cooperation between the legislative branches: Abkhaz “MPs” participated in the conference of the Parliamentary Association of South Russia.
  • Cooperation in the field of the economy:  A trade office of the Tskhinvali region will be opened in Moscow.
  • Cooperation in the field of the energy:  The issue of the energy supply to Abkhazia was discussed in Moscow.
  • Cooperation in the field of healthcare:  Mobile hospitals were opened in Sokhumi and Tskhinvali with the help of Russian military servicemen.
  • “Soft power:”  An office of the Russkiy Mir Foundation was opened in Tskhinvali.

Visit to Russia

On October 26, the de facto President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, paid a working visit to Moscow.  This is Bzhania’s fifth visit to Moscow as the de facto president. As part of the visit, Bzhania met with the Deputy Head of the Russian Presidential Administration, responsible for the direction of the occupied regions of Georgia, Dmitry Kozak. Issues of the implementation of the 2020-2022 investment program promoting Abkhazia’s socio-economic development as well as an energy supply to Abkhazia were discussed at the meeting.

In 2021, the shut-down of the Enguri HPP for several months for rehabilitation work will result in a shortage of electricity in Abkhazia. Russia's assistance to eliminate the deficit will be critical.

Government Official Visit

On October 2-3, 2020, the First Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Babich, paid a two-day working visit to the Tskhinvali region. As part of the visit, Babich met with the de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Anatoly Bibilov, and members of the de facto government. He also inspected completed and ongoing projects that were financed by Russia. At the Ministry of Economic Development, Babich has been monitoring the socio-economic direction of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region and the progress of Russian-funded projects since February 2020. This was his first visit to Tskhinvali.

During the visit, Babich discussed various issues:  the progress of the 2020-2022 investment program promoting the socio-economic development of the Tskhinvali region, the construction of a backup transmission line, the increase of salaries, the simplification of customs procedures and the leasing of agricultural equipment for the development of the agricultural sector.

The budget of the 2020-2022 investment program promoting the socio-economic development of the Tskhinvali region totals RUB 4.5 billion. Russia allocates RUB 1.5 billion annually. A total of 52 projects will be implemented within the program. The construction of 21 facilities and the implementation of two events are planned for 2020.

Military Exercises

Military exercises at the 7th military base in Abkhazia

  • As part of the exercises, radio-electronic warfare specialists suppressed the radio-communication systems of a conditional enemy.
  • A reconnaissance unit destroyed an illegal armed formation of a conditional enemy. The exercise was held in the mountainous terrain of the Tsebelda military training grounds.
  • Specialists of radiation, chemical and biological protection exercised at the Tsebelda military training grounds.
  • As part of the military exercises, reconnaissance, motorized infantry and artillery units destroyed a camp of conditional terrorists. Military servicemen used unmanned aerial vehicles to detect the camouflaged camp on the slopes of the Kodori Range.
  • Servicemen of the 7th military base and the de facto Ministry of Defense of Abkhazia conducted joint battalion tactical exercises in mountainous and coastal terrain in Abkhazia.

Other News from the 7th Military Base

  • The preparation of weapons and combat equipment for winter operations was started at the military base.
  • Preparations for heating for the cold-weather season were completed at the military base.
  • More than 50 officers received apartments in Russian cities as part of the accumulative-mortgage program.
  • Servicemen of different units of the military base passed the 2020 final physical fitness test.

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

  • As part of the exercises at the Dzartsemi military training grounds, snipers held several “sniper duels” to practice shooting at maximum distances.

Other News from the 4th Military Base

  • The preparation of military equipment for winter operation was started at the military base. Next month, more than 1,000 units of weapons, armored vehicles and special military equipment will undergo maintenance in several cities of the Tskhinvali region.

 New commander of the 4th military base

  • Reportedly in October 2020, the Commander of the 4th military base of the Russian Federation in the Tskhinvali region, Aleksandr Kravtsov, was replaced by Roman Viazovsky. In various years, Viazovsky was the Chief of Staff of the 136th separate motorized infantry, Commander of the operative unit of the motorized infantry brigade of the Southern Military District and Commander of the 19th separate motorized infantry brigade.

A detailed review of the activities of the Russian Military forces in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region in October 2020 can be found here.

Cooperation in the Field of Law Enforcement

An agreement was signed  in Moscow between the de facto Republic of Abkhazia and the Russian Federation on "co-financing the costs of a phased increase in the material and technical support of the internal affairs bodies of the [de facto] Republic of Abkhazia and monetary allowances and social guarantees for employees of the Internal Affairs Department of the [de facto] Republic of Abkhazia.” The agreement was signed by the de facto Minister of Internal Affairs of Abkhazia, Dmitry Dbar, and the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, Igor Zubov. At the Ministry, Zubov oversees the direction of the occupied regions of Georgia.

“Border” Demarcation

The meeting of the so-called demarcation commission of the Tskhinvali region and Russia was held in Tskhinvali. According to the leader of the de facto republic, Anatoly Bibilov, the commission has actually completed its work. Bibilov also noted that [despite the "border" between Russia and the Tskhinvali region] he could neither see the Tskhinvali region without Russia nor a divided Ossetia into northern and southern parts. The so-called Commission on the Delimitation and Demarcation of the State Border between South Ossetia and Russia was established in 2012.

Coordination of Foreign Policy

The de facto president of Abkhazia met with the Russian “ambassador”

The de facto President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, met with the Russian "ambassador" to Abkhazia, Aleksey Dvinianin. The issues of bilateral relations were discussed at the meeting. Bzhania often meets with Dvinianin since his come to de facto power in April. Their last meeting was held on September 3.

“Ambassador” to the Tskhinvali region met with Maria Zakharova

In Moscow, the de facto ambassador of the Tskhinvali region to the Russian Federation, Znaur Gasiev, met with the spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova. The issue of cooperation between the Information and Analytical Directorate of the de facto Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Tskhinvali Region and the Department of Information and Press of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was discussed at the meeting.

Cooperation between the Legislative branches

Members of the de facto parliament of Abkhazia participated in the 33rd conference of the South Russian Parliamentary Association. Due to the new coronavirus pandemic, the conference was held online. The de facto parliament of Abkhazia has been an associate member since 2005.

Cooperation in the Field of the Economy

According to a decision of the de facto government of the Tskhinvali region, a trade representative office of the Tskhinvali region will be opened in Russia. The purpose of the representative office will be to pursue the foreign economic and foreign trade interests of the Tskhinvali region and to promote the realization of products produced in the region.

Cooperation in the Field of Energy

The de facto Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Abkhazia, Kristina Ozgan, at a meeting with the Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation, Evgeny Grabchak, discussed energy supply to Abkhazia. In 2021, a shut-down of the Enguri HPP is planned for several months due to rehabilitation work. The Enguri HPP is the main source of the electricity supply to Abkhazia. During the rehabilitation work, Abkhazia will receive electricity from Russia.

Cooperation in the Field of Healthcare

A new group of Russian doctors from Kaliningrad and Moscow arrived in Abkhazia to treat Covid infected patients

Amid the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases and the lack of doctors in Abkhazia, the Russian Ministry of Health dispatches groups of doctors from different regions of Russia to assist local doctors. This time, doctors from Kaliningrad Krai and Moscow arrived to serve their three-week shift at the Central Republican Hospital in Gudauta. As of October 30, 4,160 cases of infections were reported in Abkhazia, including 2,257 having recovered. The highest number at 172 cases of Covid-19 was reported on October 25. 

Mobile hospitals

Russian troops are also involved in the fight against the new coronavirus in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region. Mobile hospitals have already been deployed in the occupied regions with the support of the Russian Ministry of Defense. The first multidisciplinary mobile hospital in Sokhumi received its first patient on October 21. In Tskhinvali, a mobile hospital was deployed at the Tskhovrebov Stadium on October 28.

Russian “Soft Power”

Textbooks and teaching supplies for Abkhaz teachers

Employees of the Rossotrudnichestvo office in Abkhazia donated school textbooks and other educational supplies to teachers in the Ochamchire district. The educational set has already been handed over to several schools in the Gali, Gulrifshi and Sokhumi districts.

The Victory - One for All competition

The Victory - One for All international competition was held in the de facto Republic of Abkhazia. The competition is an information-educational project for high school students and is dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War. The Rossotrudnichestvo office implements the project in cooperation with the Let's Do It Together movement.

Support to schools

The Off-road Abkhazia public movement, with the support of Rossotrudnichestvo, organized an expedition to the village of Pskhu, Abkhazia. The expedition’s participants provided the local school with textbooks and other educational materials.

Russkiy Mir Foundation office in Tskhinvali

On October 28, the Russkiy Mir Foundation opened a Russian Center in Tskhinvali. The center was established on the basis of the so-called State University of South Ossetia on the initiative of the rector of the same university, Vadim Tedeev, and with the support of  the de facto Embassy of the Russian Federation and the Rossotrudnichestvo office in the Tskhinvali region.

The Russian Centre is an international cultural project implemented by the Russkiy Mir Foundation. Such centres aim at promoting the Russian language, popularizing Russian culture and raising awareness about Russia.