Russia uses Georgia’s de facto Abkhazia to export goods to Turkey, for imports – de facto official

Russia uses Georgia’s de facto Black Sea Abkhazia region as a transit for exporting goods to Turkey, and then for importing from the country due to the sanctions imposed on it following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine last year. 

Alias Labakhua, the representative of Abkhaz de facto customs committee, confirmed the information earlier this week, local media said. 

“We have received 62 containers of transit cargo to Turkey via railway. It was not the first swallow, as there have been other transits, but in smaller numbers. The customs tax itself is not big, but similar procedures through our territory already speak loud,” Labakhua said.

He claimed the mentioned procedure had been stipulated in the relevant agreement between Abkhazia and Russia, which he said had  provided for “smooth transit” of cargo.