Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Council of Europe urges Russia to withdraw forces from Abkhazia and South Ossetia

TBILISI, September 18 – The Council of Europe has again called on Russia to withdraw its forces from Georgia’s breakaway regions. The statement also urged Russia to comply with judgments in interstate cases brought by Tbilisi, while a faction of greens and socialists within the organization warned of what it described as intensified Russian efforts … Read more

Georgian company denies directly supplying gasoline to Abkhazia

TBILISI, August 17 – A Georgian company denies having delivered a shipment of gasoline to Russian-backed Abkhazia. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze confirmed on August 12 that a private Georgian company had sent fuel to Abkhazia, where shortages had emerged. He stressed that no state agency was involved and said the shipment complied with Georgian law, … Read more

CoE still can’t get access to Georgia conflict areas

TBILISI, April 30 – The Council of Europe (CoE) says its officials were again unable to visit Abkhazia and South Ossetia, leaving outside observers dependent on meetings in Tbilisi and information from international actors. The access problem is brought up once more in the Council of Europe Secretary General’s 33rd consolidated report on the conflict, … Read more

Abkhazia rail route unlikely to rival Baku-Tbilisi-Kars

TBILISI, April 15 – Claims that the railway in self-proclaimed Abkhazia could compete with the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars transport corridor are exaggerated, according to new report by the Transport Corridor Research Center (TCRC). The report was a response to recent public claims from the head of the container terminal in Ochamchire, who said the route through Abkhazia … Read more

Breakaway Abkhazia says dozens of drones detected overnight

TBILISI, March 5 – Authorities in the breakaway region of Abkhazia said Thursday that dozens of drones were detected overnight across the territory, with debris reportedly found in multiple settlements. Adgur Gunba, who is described as the commander of the so-called air forces of Abkhazia, said the region experienced what he called an unprecedented incident … Read more

Secretive Enguri terminal project enters final phase

TBILISI, December 9 – A long-running project to build a customs terminal at the Enguri crossing in Abkhazia has moved into its final phase, according to Ekho Kavkaza. Astamur Aksalba, presented as the head of a local transit and logistics company, said construction is about 80 percent finished and that Sukhumi is “hypothetically ready” to … Read more

Russia receives first shipment of Abkhazian tangerines of the season

TBILISI, October 20 – Abkhazia has started shipping its new tangerine crop to Russia, marking the opening of this year’s citrus export season, according to Marina Zhupanova, spokesperson for the Sochi customs office, who spoke to Interfax on Monday. Zhupanova said that the “tangerine season has opened on the Russia–Abkhazia border,” and that the first … Read more

Nighttime rocket and drone attack in Sochi

TBILISI, October 17 – Explosions were heard overnight in the Russian resort city of Sochi, where local authorities said air defenses shot down incoming missiles and drones. Sochi’s mayor, Andrey Proshunin, said all emergency services had been placed on high alert and were working under the coordination of the city’s operational headquarters. He later confirmed … Read more

Brown marmorated stink bug is now permanent in Abkhazia

TBILISI, October 7 – A pest that first appeared in Abkhazia about eight years ago has now become a permanent local species, Abkhaz authorities say, but its threat to harvests has faded, officials add. Vladimir Geria, head of the Plant Protection Service at Abkhazia’s de facto Ministry of Agriculture, told Apsnipress that the insect known … Read more

Russia to Abkhazia flights top 70,000 passengers since May reopening

TBILISI, September 18 – More than 70,000 passengers have flown on direct routes between Russia and Abkhazia since Moscow resumed air links to the breakaway region earlier this year, according to Russian aviation chief Dmitry Yadrovo in a briefing with Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. Flights into Sukhumi, the capital of Abkhazia, restarted on May 1, … Read more