Abkhazia
Abkhazia’s President-elect Gunba meets with Putin in the Kremlin
Following the meeting, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced that Russia would begin providing Abkhazia with emergency energy assistance.
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Become a memberRussia has cancelled its recommendations against travelling to Abkhazia, including for tourism, following the election of their favoured presidential candidate Badra Gunba earlier this month.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry first introduced the travel advisory in November 2024, following the mass protests in Sukhumi (Sukhum) against a controversial investments agreement which would have given preferential treatment to Russian business interests.
The proposed legislation was eventually scrapped amidst protests and widespread anger towards former President Aslan Bzhaniya, culminating in his resignation in November 2024.
In their official statement published on 14 March, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the decision to cancel the travel advisory was due to the ‘stabilisation of the situation in Abkhazia’.
The statement also highlighted increasing Abkhazia–Russia relations — in terms of tourism, as well as healthcare and law enforcement — much of which occurred in the presence of Gunba.
‘Moscow knows that Abkhazia is eagerly awaiting guests from Russia for the opening of the new resort season. For a comfortable stay of tourists, Moscow and Sukhum are jointly creating the necessary conditions, including the reconstruction of the Sukhum airport’, the statement read.
The same day, Russia’s Ministry of Economic Development cancelled its own recommendations for tour operators to limit sales of tours to Abkhazia.
In another statement hinting at improved Abkhazian–Russian relations following the election, on 15 March, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov congratulated Abkhazia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba on his 74th birthday, stating that he was ‘convinced that the joint efforts of our diplomatic departments will contribute to the comprehensive development of the Russian–Abkhazian alliance and strategic partnership’.
Abkhazia’s President-elect Gunba meets with Putin in the Kremlin
Following the meeting, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced that Russia would begin providing Abkhazia with emergency energy assistance.
Nate Ostiller
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