Security on the border between Abkhazia and Georgia is firmly ensured, and the occasional minor incidents that occur from time to time are not of a critical nature, Abkhaz President Aslan Bzhania said recently in an interview with TASS.

“The border security of Abkhazia is ensured by the border services of the Republic of Abkhazia and the Russian Federation; security is firmly ensured. Minor incidents do occur on the border, but they are not of a critical nature. Every year, the efforts undertaken by the Abkhaz and Russian sides increase the level of border security to the required standards. The source of everything is the year 2008, when Russia recognized the independence of Abkhazia and, on a joint contractual basis, we built the necessary frontier to ensure our security. Therefore, I believe that in this direction we are firmly and reliably protected,” Bzhania said.

“Russia guards the borders of Abkhazia”… “Russia helps Abkhazia with its army”… “Russia invests hundreds of millions of rubles in Abkhazia’s security”… Such refrains in the speeches of high-ranking officials of Abkhazia and Russia have been heard by the republic’s residents countless times. Even specific sums allegedly spent by Moscow for these purposes have been cited.

Thus, according to the publication Sputnik, after the signing of the agreement, Moscow allocated 5 billion rubles in 2015 alone for a three-year modernization of the Abkhaz army. An impressive sum, one might agree. The only problem is that the Ministry of Defense of Abkhazia never saw it. Those 5 billion remained nothing more than figures on paper, which the official Kremlin periodically reads aloud.

Let us go further. “The modernization of the Armed Forces of Abkhazia is an auxiliary task to ensure the security of the republic. The main burden of its defense lies with the 7th Russian Military Base. The borders of the republic are also guarded by officers of the Border Service of the FSB of Russia,”—continues the same Sputnik.

And in general, according to this outlet, which is part of the Russia Today news agency with its headquarters in Moscow and its editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan, Abkhazians have lived for 15 years in conditions of stable peace within an equal military-political alliance with Russia, successfully strengthening their defense capabilities, developing economically, and even confidently looking to the future.

So that is how it is, ladies and gentlemen! It turns out that the residents of Abkhazia owe their calm—albeit cold and hungry—sleep to Russia and no one else!

All of this would be amusing if it were not so sad. For reality is very far from the picture of a prosperous military-political alliance that is being painted.

Over the three-year period from 2020 to 2023, expenditures on the Ministry of Defense of Abkhazia increased from 357 million rubles to 716 million rubles. That is over three years, I repeat. This means the increase averaged about 119 million rubles per year. In the current year, 2024, the increase will amount to only 14 million.

As I understand it, this is what the much-vaunted equal military-political alliance with Russia and the successful strengthening of Abkhazia’s defense capability, which Moscow proclaims, looks like? Then why are concerned citizens of the republic—businesspeople and entrepreneurs—raising funds for the Ministry of Defense to purchase uniforms, weapons, drones, and many other necessities?

Let us continue. On the basis of agreements between the two countries dated April 30, 2009, border guards of the FSB of Russia are responsible for the security of 350 kilometers of Abkhazia’s borders: 215 kilometers of maritime borders, 98 kilometers of land borders, and 39 kilometers of river borders. Crucially, Abkhazia and Russia are supposed to guard the borders jointly. At least, this is what is stated in the main foundational treaty.

In practice, however, neither the military nor, all the more so, border guards on the Abkhaz side can enter the border zone without coordination and approval from the Russian side. And in order to obtain such approval, our law enforcement agencies are obliged to specify the exact time of presence, as well as the purposes and tasks for which they are heading to that territory.

Let us reveal a secret: representatives of the Abkhaz side do not always receive permission to carry out their activities on the territory of Abkhazia that is under Russian control. And it is not customary to speak of this openly, because in response the Russians may harden their position and not allow Abkhaz security forces into the border zone at all.

If we return to the international treaty between Abkhazia and Russia on a joint integrated group of forces, it is important to note that such a group has never existed. Perhaps somewhere, in Kremlin offices, some general tells tales about how wonderfully a non-existent structure operates—one that, on paper, was supposed to include the 7th Russian Military Base on the Russian side. In reality, however, there is no such structure, just as there is no promised provision of the Abkhaz army with the best types of weaponry.

For many years, officers of Russia’s FSB have stood on Abkhaz borders, into which they do not allow local authorities—neither military nor civilian. Seemingly guests, yet behaving like masters. And our authorities silently observe what is happening and do not even consider that this is unacceptable for anyone. And if this is happening, it means that Abkhazia is not regarded as an independent state by our strategic partner, Russia.

Kristina Avidzba

The text contains toponyms and terminology used in the self-proclaimed Abkhazia.