Only International Observers Can Confirm Information Concerning Gudauta Base

Russian military base in Gudauta, Abkhazia, ceased to exist, Russian news agency Interfax reports, quoting chief of the Russian Defense Ministry press service Col. Nikolai Deryabin.

“At the present time, only units of the collective peacekeeping forces are remaining in Abkhazia to perform tasks under the mandate of CIS,” the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman stated.

Georgian Foreign Affairs Ministry’s spokesman Kakha Sikharulidze announced that there would always be confusion regarding the process of withdrawal of military equipment from Gudauta military base in breakaway region of Abkhazia, while it is not internationally observed.

On October 26 Russian authorities stated that Russia pulled out basic military equipment from Gudauta, but Tbilisi officials claimed that Russia withdrew only unnecessary scrap metal from the base.