In order to protect the Black Sea Fleet from further attacks, Russia needs a new base – they found it in Abkhazia.
Moscow – Kiev has recently been intensifying Ukraine war targeted pressure on the Russian fleet, the Black Sea Fleet, which was launched in 2014 Russia anchored in the annexed Crimean peninsula. One for the Kremlin devastating missile attack on fleet headquarters on September 22, several high-ranking officers were reportedly killed. Nine days earlier, on September 13th, two ships and a submarine were severely damaged in another rocket attack on the shipyard in Sevastopol. According to the Ukrainian military, the attacks are part of preparatory measures for an attempt to liberate the peninsula.
To protect the Black Sea Fleet, Russia is now apparently moving it. Satellite images from early October shared by three Russian military bloggers show that some of the ships have already left the port of Sevastopol in Crimea. Some of the larger ships were therefore transported to a naval base near Novorossiysk. Smaller ships have moored off Feodosia.
Putin wants to relocate the Black Sea Fleet to the coast of Abkhazia: Is Russia planning even more?
Moscow now wants to move the naval base to the coast of Abkhazia, according to the US news magazine Newsweek reported. Wladimir Putin met on Wednesday (October 4th) with Aslan Bschania, the ruler of the breakaway Georgian region, for negotiations. “We have signed an agreement and in the near future there will be a permanent base of the Russian Navy in the Ochamchire district,” Bzhania said. This is aimed at increasing the defense capability of “both Russia and Abkhazia”. An expansion of this partnership is planned for the future. However, there are also things that Bschania cannot talk about.
The development raises concerns about Putin’s desire for further expansion. Abkhazia is an autonomous region that belongs to Georgia under international law, but has considered itself the independent “Republic of Abkhazia” since 1994. Under the protection of Russia, the area has developed its own state structures that elude Georgia’s sovereignty. So far only Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru and Syria have recognized the region’s independence. Together with Artsakh, Transnistria and South Ossetia, Abkhazia forms a community of internationally unrecognized states created by Russia through so-called frozen conflicts.
What are frozen conflicts?
In international relations, a frozen conflict is a situation in which an active armed conflict has ended without a peace treaty. This means that the fighting has ended, but there is no political framework that will resolve the conflict to the satisfaction of the conflicting parties. Legally speaking, this means the conflict can break out again at any time, creating an environment of uncertainty and instability.
Russia is expanding its influence in Georgia – making it less likely that it will join the EU soon
Russian troops are still stationed in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and 20 percent of the land area is occupied. On the 15th anniversary of the so-called Caucasus War between Russia and Georgia, Georgian Prime Minister Iraqi Garibashvili called for the withdrawal of Russian troops from his country in August. Nevertheless, the country is becoming increasingly politically closer to Russia. Although the majority of Georgians see themselves as Europeans and calls for EU accession are becoming louder and louder, the Georgian government is increasingly relying on its “friendship with Russia”.
The Georgian economy is dependent on Russia, which is the second largest buyer of Georgian goods after China. Russian capital is being invested on a large scale in Georgia, and the proceeds flow unhindered back to Russia. With the money comes the Russians themselves, who settle down and consolidate Russian influence. Russian citizens have been exempt from visa requirements since May of this year. With Russia’s increasing influence, the hope of soon joining the EU is dwindling. Although the country is expected to receive EU candidate status after reforms are implemented, these seem to be a long way off in the current political climate. (tpn)
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