Day: October 7, 2023

Following his meeting with Vladimir Putin in Sochi on October 4, de facto leader of occupied Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania told the Russian daily Izvestiya about the plan to open a permanent Russian naval base in Ochamchire, a seaside town on the Black Sea coastline around 50 km drive from Zugdidi.

• 05/10/2023 – Bzhania Readies to Host the Russian Navy, Wants to Join the Union State
• 29/09/2023 – Russian Missile Corvette ‘Tsyklon’ Moors in Sokhumi

Below, is the summary of reaction to this development:

Georgian Authorities

Salome Zurabishvili, President of Georgia: “Russia’s illegal move to establish a permanent naval military base in Ochamchire, Georgia’s sovereign territory, constitutes a direct threat to Georgia, our EU aspirations and the Black Sea security. I call on the international community to firmly react, condemning this blatant provocation.”

Irakli Garibashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia: “Russia is already planning to build the third military base, in this case, a naval base on our territory, of course, without our permission. This is the result of occupation. This is the continuation of the occupation, of course, that’s how we perceive this illegal decision. I told them [ed. Particitpants of the European Political Community Summit where Garibashvili made the given statement ] that it makes the situation, accompanying the occupation, even worse. Everyone knows very well that Georgia is, and I described our situation strongly in this regard, that we are in a very specific situation, since a significant part of the country’s territory is occupied, and taking all this into account, the country is still able to develop, advance, and reform while maintaining peace and stability. It really takes dexterity and we really have something to say in that direction.”

Commentary of the MFA’a Press and Information Department: “We express concern about the statements of Russia’s occupation regime in Sokhumi regarding the deployment of an additional Russian military base in the occupied territories of Georgia and the inclusion of the indivisible Abkhazia region of Georgia in the integration processes initiated by Russia. Such actions represent 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. The international community strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia. We call on the Russian Federation to respect its international obligations, to fulfil the EU-mediated 12 August, 2008 Ceasefire Agreement and to stop the illegal occupation of the indivisible regions of Georgia.”

Opposition

Opposition United National Movement (UNM): UNM condemns Russia’s illegal decision about opening a so-called permanent naval base in Ochamchire, occupied Abkhazia. This is a gross violation of Georgia’s sovereignty, aimed at strengthening the military occupation of the 20% of Georgia’s territories. The condemnation of this decision by a parliamentary opposition faction cannot be enough if we want to act as a state. We were refraining from commenting on this decision until today morning [ed. October 6], because we were waiting for the reaction of the Georgian government. Unfortunately, ruling Georgian Dream did not have a proper reaction…Georgia must have a government that will fulfill the will of the majority of the Georgian people, create a solid and stable guarantee of the country’s security and democratic future through integration into the European Union and NATO. This is both a prerequisite and a guarantee for restoring the territorial integrity of Georgia in a peaceful way.”

Badri Japaridze, Lelo Party: “This is an attempt of the Russian Federation to bring military activities to Georgia, to bring a frontline in Abkhazia, within the internationally recognized borders of Georgia. We all have to understand that this base will be used to provide shelter Russian naval fleet , currently under attack in Sevastopol and Novorossiysk ports. These ships carry cruise missiles which are every day fired at the peaceful population of Ukraine. Therefore these ships are the legitimate target for the Ukrainian defense forces. So, building this base is a direct attempt to bring military actions to Abkhazia. We call on our fellow citizens in Abkhazia to counter this attempt as it greatly endangers their security.”

Giorgi Vashadze, Strategy Agmashenebeli: “Our national interests are under great danger. Russia is starting annex [Abkhazia] by opening by opening a military base in Ochamchire. Can you tell as what is your response? [ed. asks to Georgian authorities and the ruling party].”

International Community

Peter Stano, EU Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy: “The European Union expresses strong concern about Russia’s reported plans to establish a permanent naval base of its Black Sea Fleet in Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia. The military presence of Russia in Georgia’s breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is illegal, it violates Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the principles of international law and international commitments taken by Russia, including the 12 August 2008 agreement and its implementing measures of 8 September 2008. Should Russia proceed with the reported plans, it would further increase tensions and threats to stability in the region. The European Union reiterates its firm support to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders.”

Paweł Herczyński, EU Ambassador to Georgia: “Let me be crystal clear. The European Union supports Georgia’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The reports about the possible, yet another Russian military base in the breakaway and occupied region of Abkhazia is extremely concerning. Georgian Foreign Ministry announced itself yesterday. From out point of view, this is yet clear violation by Russia of the 6-point agreement from 2008. That was negotiated by the European Union.”

MFA of Estonia: “Estonia condemns reported intention to set up a Russian naval base in occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia. Its a grave violation of 2008 six-point plan and may further destabilise the region. Estonia supports Georgia’s territorial integrity in its internationally recognized borders.”

The article may be updated!

Also Read:

• 21/03/2023 – Bzhania Echoes Georgian Dream “Second Front” Rhetoric
• 22/02/2023 – Tbilisi Condemns Aslan Bzhania’s Visit to Belarus

What happened?

On October 4, the de facto leader of occupied Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, voiced an intention of Russia to establish a navy base near Ochamchire, a seaside town some 35 kilometers away from Anaklia, a key maritime location controlled by the central government of Georgia on the Black Sea coast. Bzhania’s announcement comes when Russia’s Black Sea fleet, harassed by Ukraine at its Crimean bases, is being relocated to safer harbors.

Significance in context

• Sevastopol, in occupied Crimea, is no longer a safe sanctuary for Russia’s invading fleet in the face of increasingly assertive Ukrainian forces. Russian frigates, submarines, and landing ships are being moored at Novorossiysk.
• Ochamchire harbor is too shallow to receive the major ships, but the dredging works by Russia in recent years mean that it can accept smaller vessels, including the missile corvettes that are actively used by Russia to strike targets inside Ukraine.
• If the Russian navy missile cruisers were to be permanently stationed in Ochamchire, the tactical importance of Georgia’s occupied coastline would increase considerably.
• Militarization of Ochamchire could be potentially highly damaging for the already delayed plans for Anaklia deep sea port, which is meant to increase the country’s commercial significance in the Black Sea.

Resurgent vision: Ochamchire Port is a long-pending project

Ochamchire port has “officially” been under direct Russian control since 2009 after the Kremlin signed so-called cooperation agreements on border protection with occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions. Based on these “agreements,” the Ochamchire port was turned into a base for Russian patrol vessels operating in the Black Sea. The permanent stationing of the larger vessels of the Russian Black Sea navy was discussed at that time also in connection with Ukraine, as the Russian lease on Crimea navy bases was slated to expire in 2017.

Yet, the extension of the lease agreement until 2042 by Ukraine’s then-President Viktor Yanukovych and the subsequent occupation and illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia put those plans on hold, and Ochamchire port remained a minor backwater harbor.

Ochamchire today

According to a study by Rondeli Foundation, a think tank, Ochamchire port can currently host up to ten coast guard patrol boats (Project 12200 “Sobol” and Project 12150 “Mangust” class). There is a direct rail link to the port, renovated by the Russian railway troops before the 2008 invasion of Georgia. As of 2022 the port was dredged to a depth of 9 meters.

Apart from being used for the patrol boat, the port was linked to contraband, namely the clandestine transportation of the coal mined by occupation authorities in Ukraine’s Luhansk. A boat carrying contraband sigarets manufactured in Syria, which passed through Ochamchire, was detained by the Ukrainian customs in 2017.

The port infrastructure is currently unlikely to be capable of receiving, for example Project 22800 Karakurt  missile corvette, which recently moored in Sokhumi. Transforming it into a significant Russian fleet base would require comprehensive renovations. 

Threats

Tbilisi condemned the decision as another attempt to “legitimizing” occupation. Opposition spoke of the failure of the ruling Georgian Dream party’s rapprochement policy towards Russia. The EU Ambassador to Georgia Pawel Herczynski called the occupied Abkhazia’s decision “extremely concerning.” 

The concerns are legitimate because establishing another Russian navy base in the Black Sea will likely have serious repercussions:

• Despite the limited capabilities of the Ochamchire port, establishing a navy sanctuary for the Russian Black Sea Fleet will bolster its posture in the region. Russia itself is well aware of the advantages the Ochamchire port can offer;

• Additional Russian maritime base is a direct threat to Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as the country’s immediate security;

• Russia will acquire an additional leverage to disrupt commercial activities in the Black Sea, including an indirect leverage over Anaklia project;

• Potential use of the ships stationed in Ochamchire in active combat against Ukraine could threaten Georgia’s position as a non-combatant in that conflict and make its internationally recognized territory into a legitimate military target.