Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to sign an agreement on financing by Russia of expenses for the modernization of the armed forces of Abkhazia. The government of the Russian Federation initiated the conclusion of an agreement on military assistance. This is stated in the relevant order, which is posted on the legal information portal.

Commenting on Putin’s instructions, the head of the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Abkhazia Roland Jojua said that the renewal of the republic’s armed forces will be carried out under the Treaty of Alliance and Strategic Partnership, which involves the phased unification of armaments of Russian and Abkhaz troops. According to him, the country's army should "meet modern challenges and threats."

“Guarantor of stability”

Diplomatic relations between Moscow and Sukhum were established on September 9, 2008 after an attack by Georgian troops on South Ossetia and operations of the Russian Armed Forces to force Tbilisi to peace.

On November 24, 2014, at a meeting in Sochi, the presidents of Russia and Abkhazia signed an Alliance and Strategic Partnership Agreement. This is a basic document that defines the main areas of military-technical cooperation between the two states.

The legal act presupposes “the creation of a common defense and security space”, and also establishes the principle of mutual military assistance in the event of aggression. To this end, both states have created the United Group of Forces (OGV).

“During a period of direct threat of aggression and in wartime, the commander of the United Group of Forces (forces) is appointed by the authorized body of the Russian Federation, his deputy is appointed by the authorized body of the Republic of Abkhazia,” the document states.

The UGV includes the 7th Russian military base, and from the armed forces of Abkhazia - two separate motorized rifle battalions, an artillery and air group, and a separate special-purpose detachment.

The creation of the 7th military base began in 2009 on the basis of the 131st separate motorized rifle brigade. In peacetime, the association is subordinate to the 49th combined arms army of the Southern Military District (Southeast Military District). In August 2019, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called the 7th military base a “guarantor of stability” in the region.

  • Shooting from the MLRS at exercises in Abkhazia
  • © Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

The number of Russian troops in Abkhazia is about 3.7 thousand people. They are armed with T-90A and T-72B3 tanks, BTR-82A armored personnel carriers, BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket systems, D-30 howitzers, Orlan-10 tactical drones, anti-aircraft missile systems ( SAM) S-300, Osa-AKM, Strela-10 and Igla.

“Modern technology will be transferred”

In an interview with RT, Dmitry Drozdenko, a military observer for Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine, noted Russia's exceptional role in ensuring the security of Abkhazia. After the aggression of the Georgian army in South Ossetia, Sukhum delegated the FSB powers to protect the maritime border. The land borders of the republic are controlled by parts of the UGA.

As part of military-technical cooperation, Russian troops in Abkhazia conduct regular exercises. Ground units are fulfilling tasks at the Gudauta, Nagvalou and Tsabal training grounds, the Black Sea Fleet and the FSB Border Service - in the coastal waters of the republic.

The scenarios of all exercises are exclusively defensive in nature. For example, in the mountainous and wooded area of ​​the Tsabal training ground, repulsing an enemy attack, releasing the captured coastline, delivering ammunition to hard-to-reach areas, covering and escorting convoys of military equipment are regularly practiced.

The Russian-Abkhazian troops are ready to provide fire support with the Iskander-M operational-tactical complexes (OTRK), Ka-52 Alligator reconnaissance and attack helicopters, naval fighter aircraft and bombers.

Also, during the exercises, the forces and means of the Navy provide a search for submarines and anti-ship mines in the area of ​​the alleged landing of Russian naval assault forces, and conduct firing at naval and air targets of a conditional enemy.

Such a powerful military support of Abkhazia from the Russian Federation is dictated, among other things, by the lack of modern weapons in the arsenal of the Armed Forces of the republic, Dmitry Drozdenko believes.

From the open data it follows that the T-55, BMP-1, BMP-2, BRDM-2, MT-LB, Grad MLRS, multi-purpose Mi-8 helicopters and Mi-24 attack mortars, caliber mortars are in service with the army of Abkhazia 120 mm and 82 mm, grenade launchers, anti-tank systems and anti-aircraft mounts of Soviet manufacture.

  • Landing on the coast of Abkhazia with the BDK "Nikolay Filchenkov"
  • RIA News
  • © Thomas Thaytsuk

Dmitry Drozdenko believes that within the framework of the modernization of the Abkhazian armed forces announced by Moscow, fairly modern weapons can be obtained: T-72B3 tanks, armored vehicles, towed artillery guns, MLRS, anti-tank systems and short-range air defense systems. According to him, these systems will effectively reflect a possible provocation.

“Most likely, fairly modern Russian equipment will be handed over to Abkhazia. Surely Abkhazians will receive the latest ammunition for the Grad, which are capable of hitting targets more accurately and over long distances. Helicopters and airplanes, as I think, will not be transmitted. This is not particularly necessary, ”explained Drozdenko.

Cool Cool Heads

Moscow and Sukhumi see NATO's growing military activity in Georgia as a threat. At the end of July, in the city of Senaki (several tens of kilometers from Abkhazia), the Agile Spirit 2019 exercises (“Agile Spirit 2019”) were held, in which more than 3 thousand military personnel from 14 countries of the North Atlantic Alliance took part. In Tbilisi, maneuvers are called the next step in the country's entry into the military bloc.

Russia and Abkhazia strongly oppose Georgia’s possible NATO membership. Tbilisi insists that cooperation with and membership in the North Atlantic Alliance is not directed against third countries.

At the same time, official Tbilisi calls the development of military-technical cooperation between Russia and Abkhazia "a creeping annexation of the occupied regions."

  • Russian soldiers of the 7th military base in the city of Gudauta during tactical exercises
  • RIA News
  • © Sergey Pyatakov

According to Konstantin Tasits, a leading researcher at the Center for Research on Near Abroad Countries of the RISI, the modernization of the armed forces of Abkhazia is a planned event. He noted that when making such decisions in Moscow, they also take into account "NATO activities in Georgia", as well as the strengthening of radical moods in the country.

“The Kremlin’s decision to rearm the Abkhaz forces is planned. This is one of the stages of military-technical cooperation between the two countries, which has been steadily developing since 2008. At the same time, the Russian leadership takes into account the situation in Georgia, where radical anti-Russian sentiments are growing, ”Tasits said in an interview with RT.

In turn, Drozdenko suggested that the United States could stand behind the aggravation of the situation in Georgia. Their goal is to destabilize the situation on the borders with South Ossetia and Abkhazia. He also recalled that reforms in the Georgian army, as before 2008, are under the control of the US military.

“The USA does not invest much money in the Georgian army, but all the transformations are carried out under the dictation of the Pentagon. Georgia has long recovered from the 2008 war, and therefore it is necessary to keep in mind the possibility of an escalation of violence, including in the Abkhaz direction. However, the planned modernization of the Abkhaz armed forces should cool even the hottest heads in Tbilisi, ”Drozdenko emphasized.