Monthly Review

Review of Kremlin Policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region

2020 / 12 / 01

Publication: N23 / Review period: November 1-30, 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.

November 2020 Main Events in Brief:     

  • Meeting with Putin:  The de facto President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, met with the President of Russia.
  • Government officials: Following a structural change at the Federal Agency for the CIS, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Affairs, a new division will work in the direction of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region.
  • Visit to Russia:  During his visit to Moscow, the de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Anatoly Bibilov, met with government officials responsible for the direction of the Tskhinvali region.  
  • Military bases:  The Russian Deputy Minister of Defense, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, visited the 4th military base of the Russian Federation in the Tskhinvali region.
  • Cooperation in the field of legislation:  The de facto Ministry of Internal Affairs of Abkhazia will receive RUB 620 million from Russia in 2021-2022.
  • Disputed village:  The issue of the “border” village of Aibgha has again become topical in Abkhazian-Russian relations.
  • Cooperation in the field of the economy: A representative of the Federal Agency for Air Transport (Rosaviatsiya) visited Abkhazia to study the issue of the Sokhumi airport.
  • Cooperation in the field of agriculture: The Russian Ministry of Agriculture is considering assistance to the occupied regions of Georgia for the development of the agricultural sector.
  • Cooperation in the field of healthcare:  In Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, Russian doctors assist the local doctors in the fight against the new coronavirus.
  • “Soft power:”  The Moscow House cultural and business center in Sokhumi provided financial assistance to war veterans and persons with disabilities living in Abkhazia.

Meeting with Putin and a New Integration Program

On November 12, 2020, a meeting between the de facto President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, and the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, was held in Sochi. Bzhania spoke about the meeting details at a press-conference on November 17. The main result of the meeting was the adoption of a new integration program. The parties approved the program on the formation of a common social and economic space between Russia and Abkhazia on the basis of the harmonization of Abkhazian and Russian legislations.

Meeting between Aslan Bzhania and Vladimir Putin. Source: webpage of de facto president of Abkhazia

The program is aimed at creating favorable conditions for the full participation of Abkhazia in the integration processes initiated or supported by Russia. As part of the program, 45 activities will be implemented within two-three years. During this period, legislation should be harmonized in a number of fields:  economics, finance (budget and tax policy, foreign economic and banking activities, investment protection, customs law), energy and the social sphere (medicine, education, social protection).

Government Officials

Structural changes at the Federal Agency for the CIS, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Affairs (Rossotrudnichestvo) took place on November 16, 2020. As a result of the structural change, the Division of the CIS Affairs, International Development and Integration Support, which oversaw the direction of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, was abolished. The Division also included the Department of the South Caucasus, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. With the new structure, the Organizational and Analytical Directorate will work for the direction of the post-Soviet space, headed by Valery Platonov.

Visit to Russia

The de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Anatoly Bibilov, paid a working visit to Russia. As part of the visit, Bibilov met with the First Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Mikhail Babich (overseeing the direction of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region), and the Deputy Chairman of the Federal Customs Service, Vladimir Ivin.  The meeting focused on an issue of cargo clearance at the de facto border between Russia and the Tskhinvali region as residents of the Tskhinvali region face problems at the Russian customs post while transporting goods. Ways to solve the problem were discussed at the meeting.

Military Exercises

November was not busy in terms of military exercises. Exercises will resume from December 1.

News from the 7th Military Base

  • On November 24, 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 the serviceman. In Abkhazia, four Russian military servicemen were killed in road accidents in 2019.
  • Russian servicemen of the 7th military base celebrated the Day of Peacekeepers.

News from the 4th Military Base

  • The de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Anatoly Bibilov, met with the Commander of the 58th General Army, the Major General Mikhail Zusko. Zusko introduced to Bibilov a new Commander of the 4th military base, Roman Viazovsky. Viazovsky replaced Aleksandr Kravtsov in the post in October 2020.
  • The Russian Deputy Defense Minister, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, visited the 4th military base. Yevkurov visited the Dzartsemi military training ground and got acquainted with the progress of the preparation for the new academic year.
  • RCB (Radiation, Chemical, Biological) protection specialists of the Russian Armed Forces carried out disinfection work at the military base.

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

Cooperation in the Field of Law Enforcement

The de facto parliament of Abkhazia ratified a Russian-Abkhazian agreement on co-financing expenses of the de facto Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Agreement between the de facto Republic of Abkhazia and the Russian Federation on co-financing the costs of a gradual increase in the material and technical support, monetary allowances and social guarantees for employees of the bodies of internal affairs of the [de facto] Republic of Abkhazia was signed in Moscow on October 23, 2020. According to the agreement, Russia will allocate RUB 620 million in 2021 and 2022 for the improvement of the efficiency and the financial situation of the de facto Ministry of Internal Affairs of Abkhazia.

Disputed Village

The issue of the “border” village of Aibgha has again become topical in Abkhazian-Russian relations. Members of the de facto parliament of Abkhazia discussed the construction of a pedestrian bridge on the border river Psou which was not agreed with the Abkhazian side. The Abkhazian side noted that the "border" issue at the disputed village of Aibgha needs further clarification with Russia.

Disputed bridge. Source: Webpage of Sochi City Administration

The only bridge connecting both sides of the village was swept away by a flood three years ago. A member of the Sochi City Council, Sergey Shevelev, also took part in the construction of the bridge which lasted a month. The de facto government of Abkhazia attributes the village of Aibgha to the Gagra district, while Russia - to the Adler district. The village is a disputed territory between Russia and Abkhazia which periodically becomes topical. The de facto President of Abkhazia also spoke about the disputed village during his meeting with the Russian President on November 12.

Cooperation in the Field of the Economy

The de facto President of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, hosted the Deputy Head of the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsiya), Oleg Storchevoy. The purpose of the visit of the Agency delegation is to discuss the Sokhumi airport issue, study its technical condition and determine further steps for the airport’s overhaul and operation. The Sokhumi airport has been closed since the 1992-1993 conflict and its commissioning is one of the priority tasks of the de facto government of Abkhazia.

Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture

Cooperation with Russia in the Field of Agriculture was Discussed in Abkhazia

The de facto government and a delegation from Russia discussed cooperation between the two countries in the field of agriculture. The Russian delegation was chaired by the Russian Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Jambulat Khatuov. The meeting focused on issues such as the state of the agro sector and cooperation in the field of agriculture. Previously, the delegation of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture visited enterprises of the agro-industrial complex of Abkhazia and held expert consultations with agricultural producers in the region. The de facto president of Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, also met with Jambulat Khatuov.

Tskhinvali Region Will Receive Four Units of Special Equipment from Russia

The de facto President of the Tskhinvali region, Anatoly Bibilov, held a working meeting with representatives of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Economic Development and other agencies. According to a spokesman of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, workers of the agro-industrial complex of the Tskhinvali region will undergo a training course in Russia to raise qualification. The Russian side will also donate four units of production equipment to the Tskhinvali region. Previously, the de facto Acting Prime Minister of the Tskhinvali region, Gennady Bekoev, met with the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Jambulat Khatuov, in Moscow.

Cooperation in the Field of Healthcare

Due to the increase of confirmed coronavirus cases and the lack of doctors, the Russian Ministry of Health periodically dispatches groups of doctors from different regions of Russia to assist local doctors in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region in the fight against the infection. At this time, four doctors from  Yekaterinburg work at the Central Republican Hospital in Gudauta. On November 30, 5,970 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 3,845 cases of recovery were recorded in Abkhazia. Three doctors from St. Petersburg are working in the Tskhinvali region where 1,877 confirmed cases of infection and 813 cases of recovery were recorded on November 30. Military medics work at multidisciplinary mobile hospitals that were deployed in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region with the support of Russian military servicemen.

Russian “Soft Power”

Rossotrudnichestvo and the Dialogue Meeting in Sokhumi

The Rossotrudnichestvo office in Abkhazia organized a meeting with the Dialogue Intellectual Club entitled the “Image of Sokhumi in the Historical and Cultural Context.” The topic of the discussion was the development of art in Sokhumi in the 1950-1970s and Russia's contribution to the process.

Moscow House Provides Financial Assistance to War Veterans and People with Disabilities Living in Abkhazia

On the 75th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War, the Moscow House cultural and business center in Sokhumi provided financial assistance to war veterans and persons with disabilities living in Abkhazia. The project was implemented with the financial support of the Moscow Department of Foreign Economic and International Relations.

National Unity Day was Celebrated in Ochamchire

With the support of the Rossotrudnichestvo office in Abkhazia, the Russian community of the Ochamchire and Gali districts celebrated National Unity Day. The program of events comprised a teleconference through which the participants learned more about National Unity Day and the history of the Russian Federation.

Sergey Skvortsov about the Humanitarian Map

Sergey Skvortsov, the Head of the Rossotrudnichestvo office in the Tskhinvali region, spoke about the Humanitarian Map. The Humanitarian Map interactive digital portal is another initiative of the Rossotrudnichestvo which is aimed at raising awareness about the humanitarian assistance provided by the Russian Federation to other states. The portal was officially launched on November 23, 2020. The initiative was presented by the Chairman of the Rossotrudnichestvo, Yevgeny Primakov.