Publication:  N3 / Review period: November 1-30, 2020 / Author: Ani Zirakashvili

Review of the Russian Military Forces’ Activities in Abkhazia and the Tkshinvali Region is being prepared within the framework of the project - Roadmap to the Kremlin's Policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region. the purpose of the publication is to review trainings of the military forces of the Russian Federation deployed in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region and as well as other important events related to the Russian 7th and 4th military bases in these regions. 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 activities of the Russian military forces in the occupied regions of Georgia.

Russian Military Forces in Abkhazia

• A Russian serviceman died in Gudauta. According to preliminary data, as a result of the violation of safety requirements while towing a vehicle, a truck driver hit a serviceman who was servicing an equipment. An investigation has been launched into the incident.
• On November 25, military servicemen celebrated the Day of Peacekeepers. The Commander of the 7th military base, Oleg Senkov, attended the event. The Day of Peacekeepers has been celebrated since November 25, 2016 and is dedicated to the participation of the first group of Soviet officers in the UN peacekeeping mission in the Middle East on November 25, 1973.
• Russian specialists of RCB (radiation, chemical, biological) protection were awarded departmental medals of the de facto Ministry of Defense. The specialists were awarded medals for successful disinfection of Abkhazia's social infrastructure. Oleg Senkov attended the event.

Award ceremony. Source: The Ministry of Defence of Russia

• Russian military medics, a total of 101 people, received letters of gratitude, diplomas and commemorative prizes for their contribution to the fight against the coronavirus-caused pandemic.

Russian Military Forces in the Tskhinvali Region

• The Russian Deputy Defense Minister, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, visited the 4th military base. He visited the Dzartsemi military training ground and new facilities of the base, met with the Commander of the base, Roman Viazovsky, and instructed to start scheduled military exercises from December 1.
• The de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Anatoly Bibilov, met with the Commander of the 58th General Army of the Russian Federation, the Major General Mikhail Zusko, and Roman Viazovsky. Bibilov congratulated Zusko and Viazovsky on their new appointments. Viazovsky was appointed as the Commander of the 4th military base in October 2020. He replaced Aleksandr Kravtsov in the post.

Meeting with de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Anatoly Bibilov. Source: The webpage of  de facto President of the Tskhinvali region

• On November 8, a sambo competition was held at the 4th military base with the participation of children of military personnel of the Southern Military District. The winners were awarded medals and cash prizes.
• On November 23, the Day of Courage and National Unity was celebrated in the Tskhinvali region. Anatoly Bibilov and the Russian “ambassador” to the Tskhinvali region, Marat Kulakhmetov,  attended the event and laid flowers at the memorial of heroes.

COVID-19 and the Occupied Regions of Georgia

According to the latest data, the de facto Republic of Abkhazia recorded 5970 confirmed cases of COVID-19 virus. In the Tskhinvali region, the number of laboratory-confirmed cases totals 1877. Due to the aggravated epidemiological situation and scarce medical resources, the de facto governments of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region have appealed to the Russian Ministry of Defense for assistance. The positive response was not delayed and the Ministry of Defense provided various types of assistance to the mentioned regions.

Abkhazia

A multidisciplinary mobile hospital in Sokhumi was Launched on October 20. The hospital accommodates 100 patients and is equipped with the necessary medical equipment for the fight against the coronavirus. 113 medical specialists treat the patients infected with severe coronavirus. An RCB protection unit arrived in Abkhazia on October 21.

• On November 3, specialists of RCB protection disinfected the territory of the 7th military base. Barracks and housing facilities were treated with a special disinfectant. 30 specialists and 11 vehicles of RCB protection were involved in the mentioned works.
• In Gagra, social infrastructure facilities were treated with a special disinfectant.
• The Russian “ambassador”, Aleksey Dvinianin, visited a field hospital in Abkhazia. As part of the visit, he met with military medics and the head of the field hospital, Abdulmejid Magomedov.

Aleksey Dvinianin visited a field hospital. Source: The webpage of de facto embassy of Russia in Abkhazia

• According to the latest data, 43 patients with a confirmed infection of coronavirus are being treated at the multidisciplinary mobile hospital deployed in Sokhumi. The condition of three patients is severe.

Tskhinvali Region

On October 27, a multidisciplinary mobile hospital was deployed in Tskhinvali. The hospital accommodates 150 patients. Up to 150 military medics are working at the hospital. Specialists of RCB protection of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation arrived in Tskhinvali on October 29.

• On November 20, an RCB protection unit disinfected educational institutions and health facilities in the Znauri district.
• On November 24, the building of the de facto Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Tskhinvali region and its adjacent territory were treated with special disinfectant.
• RCB protection specialists disinfected the building of Internal Affairs Division in the Akhalgori district.
• According to the latest data, 37 patients with a confirmed infection of coronavirus are being treated at the Tskhinvali field hospital.

After the August 2008 war, Russian occupation forces were deployed in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region. In 2010, Russia signed agreements with the de facto republics of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region on the deployment of combined Russian military bases on the territories of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region for the next 49 years. The Russian 7th military base is located on the territory of Abkhazia, and the Russian 4th military base - in the Tskhinvali region. Both regions are part of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation.