De facto Abkhaz official claims region’s “citizen” in captivity in Ukraine

Lev Kvitsinia, the de facto head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in Georgia’s currently Russian-controlled Abkhazia region in the country’s north-west, has claimed the region’s “citizen”, fighting along with Russian troops in Ukraine, remained in Kyiv’s captivity. 

“Unfortunately, there is such a precedent. A citizen of Abkhazia is in captivity and some work is being done to free him, we are also working in Donbas,” Kvitsinia said at the press conference on Monday. 

Kvitsinia, who has been appointed as the “special representative of the President of Abkhazia” in relations with the “new regions of the Russian Federation”, says that “such issues, unfortunately, are not resolved quickly”.

“Relatives came to us and to the President [de facto President Aslan Bzhania]. We will do everything to ensure help,” said Kvitsinia, without identifying the captive. 

Around 50 Georgian volunteers fighting in Ukraine against Russia have been killed since the outbreak of hostilities in February 2023, while Abkhaz volunteers are fighting with Russians in the conflict.