The de facto authorities of Georgia’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region have announced plans to hand all the constructions in a well-known Bichvinta holiday area to the Russian Federal Security Service, while transferring 186 hectares of surrounding area, about 300 football fields, on a 49-year lease to the occupier.

The text of the agreement with Moscow has already been sent to the de facto parliament of Abkhazia.

The de facto authorities claimed that “on the background of the war in Ukraine, only the Russian military-political umbrella is the guarantee of peace and security of our citizens.”

The agreement on the transfer of the territory was signed in Moscow on January 19, 2022, but it became known only on July 11, when the de facto parliament started discussing the document. 

The confinedial deal has angered the local opposition who have plans to oppose the decision. 

Russia recognised two Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali as independent states after the Russia - Georgia 2008 war. 

Since then only Venezuela, Nikaragua, Nauru and Syria have joined Russia's illegal move, while the rest of the international community calls on Russia to leave historic Georgian lands.