De facto leaders of occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia arrive in Moscow for Victory Day

The de facto presidents of Russia-occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Badra Gunba and Alan Gagloev, arrived in Moscow on May 8 to attend celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.

Gunba is accompanied by his wife, Irma Khashig. According to Alkhaz Cholokua, head of Gunba's de facto administration press office, a meeting between Gunba and Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled for May 10. During this meeting, they are expected to discuss a wide range of issues related to "Abkhaz-Russian cooperation. "

This will be their second meeting following a previous one in March 2025, after Gunba’s controversial re-election in occupied Abkhazia — an election whose legitimacy is not recognized by Georgia or the vast majority of UN member states.

Alan Gagloev is joined in Moscow by his de facto defense minister Inal Sabanov and Maria Kotaeva, head of the de facto press and information committee. Gagloev is also scheduled to meet with President Putin on May 10.

According to the Kremlin, leaders from over 20 countries have accepted invitations to attend the celebrations, though the full list of attendees remains unconfirmed.

Among the expected guests are leaders from several former Soviet republics, as well as from Bolivia, Cuba, Venezuela, Laos, Brazil, and others. From the EU, only Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, known for his critical stance on Ukraine, is set to attend.

A key focus of international attention is on Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has emerged as Moscow’s primary ally amid Russia’s war in Ukraine. On May 8, following talks in Moscow, Xi and Putin signed a joint statement pledging to further deepen the strategic partnership between China and Russia.