Moscow closed the exhibition in Abkhazia featuring Shamil Basayev
A portrait of Chechen field commander Shamil Basayev was featured in the “Heroes of Abkhazia” exhibition at the State Museum in Abkhazia. The pro-government Russian Telegram channel “Hard Blog” was the first to draw attention to this, according to Novaya Gazeta Europe.
Shamil Basayev was a Chechen field commander and one of the leaders of the armed struggle for the independence of the self-proclaimed Chechen Republic of Ichkeria. He actively participated in combat operations in Chechnya from 1991 to 2006, as well as in the Georgian-Abkhaz war of 1992–1993. Basayev was also responsible for organizing several high-profile terrorist attacks in Russia, including the Budyonnovsk hostage crisis, the Beslan school siege, and the Moscow theater hostage crisis at Dubrovka. He was killed in 2006 in Ingushetia.
He posted a photo of the exhibition showing five portraits of the “Heroes of Abkhazia,” including Shamil Basayev. In 1992, Basayev fought against Georgia on the side of the Abkhaz separatists.
“This is a case where, instead of gratitude, we’re spat in the face. A state that has latched onto our budget quite well, receiving not only investments from Russia but also military aid and foreign policy support, says: ‘We don’t care how you view Basayev; for us, he’s a hero.’ Essentially, this is a public justification of terrorism from a legal standpoint and blasphemy from a moral and ethical standpoint.
Russian Foreign Ministry, how are things with you? Nothing seems off? The person who organized the Beslan terrorist attack is considered a hero in a neighboring state. Don’t you see this as an insult?” writes the channel.
The pro-Russian outlet Tsargrad also reported on the exhibition. They noted that the museum’s website, in the “Museum Visitors” section, mentions a meeting between the director and Osman Shamba, who fought in Basayev’s battalion on the side of Abkhazia.
Pro-government bloggers and media emphasize that the State Museum of Abkhazia was restored with Russian financial investments in 2013.
“If Abkhazia is supposedly a ‘puppet’ completely dependent on Russia, then one might ask, what’s the point of such puppets if they can’t be controlled in any way? Maybe it’s time to let them go? I mean, send them back to Georgia? They’ll be taught to ‘love their homeland’ there,” said political analyst Georgy Bovt.
Later, the Russian embassy in unrecognized Abkhazia informed Russian media RBC that the exhibition featuring Basayev’s portrait had been temporarily closed.
The embassy stated that displaying the image of the Chechen field commander was “unacceptable.” They also mentioned that the museum’s management “intends to resolve the situation as soon as possible.”
In Abkhazia, it is said that this campaign is part of the pressure from Moscow on the republic
In Abkhazia, the campaign against the museum exhibition is linked to the deteriorating Abkhaz-Russian relations.
In particular, today, September 25, the Parliament of Abkhazia will discuss the ratification of the Russian-Abkhaz agreement on mutual recognition of court decisions. Many experts in Abkhazia believe that this agreement is unbalanced and does not reflect the interests of the Abkhaz side.
“The portrait of Shamil Basayev has been displayed in Abkhazian museums for several years, but Moscow has only noticed it now. Why? The crisis in Abkhaz-Russian relations is in full swing (even though both sides deny it), and tomorrow there’s an important vote in Parliament. The Kremlin is sending a signal: do as we say, or we will remind you of many other things,” writes the Telegram channel “Abkhazia-Center.”
Earlier, the same channel noted, “So, the Russian embassy has decided what can and cannot be displayed in the museum?“
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