DRI Calls on Authorities to Respond Adequately to Construction of Ochamchire Naval Base

According to the Democracy Research Institute (DRI), the Georgian government’s response to the establishment of the Russian naval base only four kilometers from the Georgia-controlled town of Anaklia, in the village of Pichori (Gali district of occupied Abkhazia adjacent to the occupation line) is “insufficient” and therefore “ineffective.” The Institute says large-scale base work has been ongoing for three weeks.

DRI quotes local inhabitants who say that:

• The Russian military told the locals that Pichori would function as an auxiliary to the military naval base at Ochamchire [occupied Abkhazia];
• Construction of the military base has begun;
• The Russians are currently actively carrying out exercises involving a mock drone attack on the Ochamchire military port;
• According to the residents of Ochamchire, radio-electronic warfare systems are being actively deployed on the site, likely to be used against Ukrainian drones and missiles.

DRI believes that “deployment of the Russian military naval base in Ochamchire poses a fundamental threat to the security of Georgia and Black Sea region, criticizing the Georgian government’s reaction to the issue as “insufficient” and “ineffective.”

DRI calls on the Georgian government to take the following steps: 

• The Georgian Parliament must immediately adopt the draft resolution “on the decision to open a permanent Russian military naval base in occupied Abkhazia, Georgia”, tabled by the opposition lawmakers;
• The State Security Service of Georgia and the Ministry of Defense of Georgia must immediately inform the population of the possible threat posed by the construction of the Russian naval base;
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia must immediately ensure that the international community pays attention to the issue. 

On October 4, the de facto leader of occupied Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania said that an agreement had been signed to build a permanent Russian naval base in the Ochamchire region, a coastal town on the Black Sea. According to Bzhania, establishing a naval base in Ochamchire aims to increase the defense capabilities of Russia and Abkhazia and serves their fundamental security interests.

On October 5, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia expressed its concern over the issue. The MFA emphasized that “such actions constitute a gross violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and another provocative attempt to legitimize the illegal occupation of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions of Georgia.”

On October 9, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) adopted a resolution condemning the Kremlin’s “declared intention” to open a naval base in occupied Abkhazia, saying it further destabilizes the Black Sea region.

The Georgian opposition MPs have also motioned for the Parliament resolution, bit it was rejected by the ruling party. The First Deputy Speaker of the Parliament from the ruling Georgian Dream party, Gia Volski, said the majority would not even consider adopting such an “inadequate and provocative” resolution. 

Also Read:

• 24/10/2023 – Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence: Russia Plans to Relocate Black Sea Fleet from Crimea to Abkhazia
• 07/10/2023 – Context | Russian Navy Base in occupied Abkhazia?
• 05/10/2023 – Bzhania Readies to Host the Russian Navy, Wants to Join the Union State

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