Abkhazia–Russia border explained

Russia has a 255.4km (158.7miles) border with a self-proclaimed, internationally unrecognized republic of Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia under Russian occupation, while the border itself is "guarded" by FSB Border Service of Russia and State Security Service of Abkhazia.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] Georgia considers any attempt to demarcate a boundary between the breakaway region and Russia as illegitimate.[9]

Particular is the Psou river that runs between the Abkhaz-Russian border which is vital for economic activity[10] while nefarious actors use it as a smuggling route for illegal goods.[11]

History

During the War in Abkhazia (1992–1993) when fighting had begun, the 221 km Abkhazian section of the railway extending from Psou roadside stop (Abkhazia–Russia border) up to Ingur roadside stop (Abkhazia-Georgia border) had been closed for Armenia and Georgia since Aug 14 1992, after the railway bridge over the River of Ingur (dividing Georgia from Abkhazia) was detonated.[12] Later on on October 6, 1992, the Abkhaz forces captured Gagra and reached the Russian border shortly thereafter.[13] [14]

On September 19, 1994, the Russian Federation had closed its border with Abkhazia, and later on December 19, it would close the border along the Psou River.[15] [16] [17] [18]

The Russian Federation had ordered that all shipping to Sukhumi was to be closed again on January 5, 1996, which explains why an incident took place in March 1996, where a Turkish ship was prevented from entering into the port of Sukhumi.[19]

In, the Russian Federation had "relaxed" its border controls to "allow" men of fighting age, presumably because of the Second Chechen War.[20]

In, the Russian Federation unilaterally reopened the Psou-Sokhumi section for both civilian and military transport.[21]

In 2006, the Psou-border was opened to all possessing appropriate documentation.[22] [23] In June of that year, the Russian Federation provided 200,000 tons of bitumen to assist road construction, the Sukhumi-Psou rehabilitation – at least 99 million roubles ($3.8million) was also financed by the Moscow government.[24] [25] Later in July, Russia delivered ammunition, automatic rifles, grenade launchers, bombs, and mines; that equipment was transported into Abkhazia by some thirty-five to forty military trucks that crossed the Psou River from the Russian side.[26]

On January 24, 2011, it was reported that Russia had financed repairs on the Abkhaz Railway which would span over three months and reconstruction would cover railway sections from the River Psou on the Russian border to Sokhumi.[27]

Notably, there was a dispute between the two parties over a tract of land 160sqkm[28] in size near the resort town of Krasnaya Polyana that flared in the lead-up to the Sochi Olympics.[29] [30] [31] [32] [33] The dispute has since been dropped.[34]

On April 8–20, 2020, then acting President of Abkhazia Valeri Bganba had signed an order to close the entire state border with Russia along the Psou River, presumably because of COVID-19 pandemic.[35]

During the XXVII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 5–8, 2024, both sides stated that they would work together in order to "simplify" border controls.[36]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: "Border" Checkpoints in the Occupied Region of Abkhazia: Anatomy of the Movement on the Occupation Line . kremlin-roadmap.gfsis.org.ge . 24 November 2022.
  2. Web site: Comment by the Information and Press Department on Abkhazian Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Chirikba's visit to Russia . www.mid.ru . 9 March 2015.
  3. Web site: Abkhazia has strengthened border control with Georgia and Russia . detq.info . 25 June 2023.
  4. Web site: Black Sea Port Is Flash Point for Georgia and Russia . www.nytimes.com . 9 September 2009.
  5. Web site: Transcript of Remarks and Replies to Questions by Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov at a Meeting with the Faculty and Students of the Abkhazian State University and Members of the Public of Abkhazia, Sukhum, October 2, 2009 . www.mid.ru . 3 October 2009.
  6. Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia . www.mpil.de . 21 September 2009.
  7. Abkhazia's 'creeping' incorporation; The end of the experiment of a separatist democracy . www.osw.waw.pl . 10 March 2015 . Wojciech Górecki.
  8. Web site: Volunteer-movement and the Circassian factor during the Patriotic War of the people of Abkhazia in 1992-1993 – historical and political significance . abkhazworld.com . 30 September 2022 . Aslanbek Mirzoev.
  9. News: Kupunia. Mzia. March 21, 2011. Tbilisi slams "border demarcation" meeting planned in Moscow. The Messenger Online.
  10. Abkhazia; The Long Road to Reconciliation . is.muni.cz . 10 April 2013.
  11. Book: SMUGGLINGTHROUGH ABKHAZIA; AND TSKHINVALI REGION OF GEORGIA . traccc.gmu.edu . 2004 . 99928-0-830-6 . Kukhianidze . Alexandre . Kupatadze . Alexandre . Gotsiridze . Roman . American University's Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) Georgia Office .
  12. Web site: Views from Moscow: Russian-Abkhazian treaty shot down project of railway to Armenia via Abkhazia and Georgia . arminfo.info . 26 November 2014.
  13. "Frozen conflicts" in Europe . www.jstor.org . 2015 . Verlag Barbara Budrich. j.ctvdf0bmg .
  14. Web site: Changes on the Western Front: how Gagra was liberated . abkhazworld.com . 3 October 2020.
  15. Russia, Georgia, and Abkhazia . abkhazworld.com . Edward Mihalkanin.
  16. THE DE-ISOLATION OF ABKHAZIA . www.international-alert.org . April 2011.
  17. Could a De Facto State Survive without External Help? The Case of Abkhazia . Acta Humana . March 2023 . Ekaterina Kosiuk . 11 . 7–32 . 10.32566/ah.2023.1.1.
  18. Web site: Russia and the conflicts in the South Caucasus . wp-g.pages.dev . 20 December 2018 . Sergey Markedonov.
  19. Web site: The Blockade of Abkhazia . abkhazworld.com . 20 July 2020.
  20. THE FORGOTTEN AKBHAZIA . csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com . January 2001 . Georgi M. Derluguian.
  21. Web site: RUSSIA DEPLOYS RAILWAY TROOPS TO ABKHAZIA . jamestown.org . 3 June 2008 . Vladimir Socor.
  22. Abkhazia and Georgia; Time for a Reassessment . repository.library.brown.edu . 2009 . George Hewitt.
  23. Web site: Why Independence for Abkhazia Is the Best Solution . www.tppra.org . 4 October 2013 . George Hewitt.
  24. ABKHAZIA TODAY; Europe Report N°176 – 15 September 2006 . www.files.ethz.ch . 15 September 2006.
  25. ABKHAZIA WAYS FORWARD; Europe Report N°179 – 18 January 2007 . www.crisisgroup.org . 18 January 2007.
  26. Web site: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-223361%22} CASE OF MAMASAKHLISI AND OTHERS v. GEORGIA AND RUSSIA ]. hudoc.echr.coe.int . 7 March 2023.
  27. Web site: Abkhazia: Russia to Repair Abkhaz Railway . unpo.org . 25 January 2011.
  28. Web site: Leader of separatist Abkhazia dies . www.osw.waw.pl . 1 June 2011.
  29. News: Souleimanov. Emil. May 11, 2011. Russia and Abkhazia Dispute Border Delimitation. Central Asia-Caucus Institute.
  30. Web site: Abkhazia: Not Quite So Frozen in Time . civil.ge . 14 February 2014.
  31. Web site: Abkhazia: Hopes Placed on the "Olympic Effect" . unpo.org . 6 July 2007.
  32. Georgian State Border – Past and Present . css.ge . August 2012 . Nikoloz Samkharadze.
  33. Web site: Abkhazia, from conflict to statehood . www.opendemocracy.net . 13 July 2012 . George Hewitt.
  34. News: April 10, 2013. Abkhazia: The Long Road to Reconciliation. 10. International Crisis Group. Europe Report N°224.
  35. Web site: Abkhazia closes border with Russia . uawire.org . 8 April 2020.
  36. Web site: Aslan Bzhania: Russia and Abkhazia are working on simplifying border control - I hope we will reach such a history of relations when the checkpoint will no longer be needed . www.interpressnews.ge . 9 June 2024.

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