An agreement to build a new one permanent naval base in the breakaway (not internationally recognized) and self-proclaimed autonomous Georgian regionAbkhaziais located in the northwest of the country right on the border Russia. They have made things tougher for the Federation under leadership Wladimir Putin and the President of the Republic of Abkhazia Aslan Bzhaniaas the local newspaper explained Izvestia in the last days. A first step that will lead to the establishment of a “permanent fleet” “in the near future,” explained Bzhania Russian Navy in the Ochamchira district”. However, no confirmations or denials were received from the Russian side, but a direct question on the subject from the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov he preferred not to answer and left everything to the powers of Ministry of Defense.
“All of this is aimed at raising the level Defense capability Both Russia and Abkhazia,” Bzanhia then explained, pointing out that “this type of interaction will continue in the future” and that there are also several elements “that cannot be discussed at the moment” regarding relations between Russia and the region, which relies on Russia’s military, economic and political support. The Republic of Abkhazia is actually one De facto state but not de jure, recognized to a limited extent worldwide only by five UN member states: Russia, NicaraguaVenezuela, Nauru and Syria.
There Ochamchira regionwhere the new Russian base will be built and where at the time ofSoviet Union important have been installed military outpostsis about 200 kilometers from the Russian city Sochithe most important and closest to the border Georgia. It is not yet clear what size and size the base might be, but the strategic position certifies an expansion of Russian military garrisons Black SeaCreating the conditions and for an increase Voltage with Georgia itself, even with that Bornconsidering that three coastal states on the Black Sea – Türkiye, Bulgaria And Romania – belong to the Atlantic Alliance.
However, this unexpected step by Putin could also be a symptom of this Worries which may have caused Russian military leaders to change their strategy. After what the Wall Street Journal In fact, Russia would relocate much of its fleet to the Black Sea, mostly based in the city Sevastopol of occupied Crimea to relocate it to another location, and the news of the new base in Ochamchira can be contextualized according to these intentions. From the beginningRussian invasion of Ukraine In 2022, the Russian fleet in Sevastopol was actually attacked several times attacks unexpected and Raids The Ukrainians and in recent weeks the pressure from Kyiv On the peninsula it increases significantly in view of the violent attacks on September 22nd headquarters the Russian fleet and the rejected attempts to land with ground soldiers in Crimea.
Russia would therefore carry out one Repositioning of its naval units in the Black Sea to maintain control of the area, but at the same time withdraw part of its fleet from the target of Ukrainian missiles that have been shown to be able to significantly weaken it. Relations between Russia and Georgia have been particularly tense for years, more precisely since the Georgian civil war that lasted between 1991 and 1992, in which Abkhazia was also involvedSouth Ossetiadeclared themselves independent and thanks to the Support Even today, the resources provided by Moscow manage to be de facto autonomous from the Moscow government Tbilisi that claims its sovereignty. In the 2008 Then, in the so-called Second Russo-Georgian War, Russia actively defended the two regions against a Georgian attempt to retake the area military base in both territories.
Despite Georgia’s current government led by Iraqi Garibashvili has over time adopted a softer stance towards Russia and his own country Influences Georgian territory still received one from Tbilisi, compared to some previous governments timely condemnation Moscow’s actions, defined by the Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani like a “seriously Violation of sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Georgia,” which he further expressed “Worries” for “the inclusion of the indivisible region of Abkhazia in Georgia in the integration processes initiated by Russia”.