Georgia’s Foreign Office condemns Moscow’s plans over permanent naval base in occupied Abkhazia

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia on Thursday responded and condemned the claims by the de facto President of the country’s Russian-occupied Abkhazia region over the deployment of Russia’s permanent naval base in the coastal city of Ochamchire. 

 

“We call on Russia to respect its international obligations, fulfill the cease-fire agreement concluded on August 12, 2008 through the mediation of the European Union, and withdraw its troops”, the Georgian MFA said. 

 

The 7th Russian military base and the border department of the Federal Security Service are currently located in the occupied Abkhazia.

 

The Russian military base has been located in Gali since 2008. In addition to the city, there are Russian bases in the villages along the occupation line in Lekukhona, Saberio and Chuburkhinji. 

 

Reuters agency reported NATO was worried about the Russian base in Ochamchire in 2009. According to the publication, reports of the relocation of the Russian base in Ochamchire (where a Soviet naval base was located during the Soviet Union) could indicate that Russia was, on the one hand, looking for an alternative to Sevastopol and also trying to expand its military presence near Turkey on the Black Sea coast.

 

The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday Russia had withdrawn most of its Black Sea fleet from its main base in annexed Crimea due to Ukraine’s attacks.