Bagapsh: Two Russian Military Bases for Abkhazia

Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh said on September 23 that Russia would have two military bases in the region.

“One base will be established in Gudauta, where Russian airborne troops were once based, and another – at the port of Ochamchire,” Abkhaz news agency Apsnipress quoted Bagapsh as saying.

He also said that along with an Abkhaz border guard unit, Russian troops would be present in the upper Kodori Gorge – an area inside the breakaway region, which had been under Tbilisi’s control before Abkhaz militias, backed by Russian troops, took the gorge in August.

Russia announced on September 9 plans to keep a total of 7,600 troops in Abkhazia and South Ossetia – 3,800 in each region.

Bagapsh said that accommodation would be built in Gudauta and Ochamchire for the Russian servicemen.

Echoing Russian positions, Bagapsh also reiterated that Sokhumi was against the deployment of EU monitors inside Abkhazia; he, however, said Sokhumi had nothing against UN observers, who have been in the region for over a decade.

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