Abkhazia–Russia border

43°23′19″N 41°09′19″E / 43.388541°N 41.155232°E / 43.388541; 41.155232

Russia has a 255.4 kilometres (158.7 mi) border with Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia, while the border itself is "guarded" by FSB Border Service of Russia and State Security Service of Abkhazia.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]} Notably, there was a dispute between the two parties over a tract of land 160 square kilometres (62 sq mi)^[8] in size near the resort town of Krasnaya Polyana that flared in the lead-up to the Sochi Olympics.^[9][10] The dispute has since been dropped.^[11] Georgia considers any attempt to demarcate a boundary between the breakaway region and Russia as illigetimate.^[12]

History[edit]

During the War in Abkhazia (1992–1993) when fighting had began the 221km Abkhazian section of the railway extending from Psou roadside stop (Abkhazia-Russia border) up to Ingur roadside stop (Abkhazia-Georgia border) has been closed for Armenia and Georgia since Aug 14 1992 after the railway bridge over the River of Ingur (dividing Georgia from Abkhazia) was detonated.^[13] and later on in October 6, 1992 the Abkhaz forces captured Gagra and reached the Russian border shortly thereafter.^[14][15]

On September 19, 1994 the Russian Federation had closed it's border with Abkhazia and later on December 19th it would close the border along the psou river.^{[16][17][18][19]}

On August 30, 1995 Abkhazia's major port city of Sukhumi was closed due to unspecified reasons.^[20]

The Russian Federation had ordered that all shipping to Sukhumi was to be closed again on January 5 1996,^[21] which explains why an incident took place on March 1996 where a Turkish ship was prevented from entering into the port of Sukhumi.^[22] Meanwhile, Russia had joined an CIS blockade that isolated Abkhazia from economic activity.^[23]

In c. 1999 then president Vladimir Putin had abrogated by decree the Russian commitment to uphold the embargo, canceling most restrictions on crossing the Psou River.^[24]

In c. 2000 the Russian Federation had "relaxed" it's border controls to "allow" men of fighting age, presumably because of the Second Chechen War.^[25]

In c. 2005 the Russian Federation unilaterally reopened the Psou-Sokhumi section for both civilian and military transport.^[26]

In 2006, the Psou-border was opened to all possessing appropriate documentation,^[27] and on July of that year Russia delivered ammunition, automatic rifles, grenade launchers, bombs, and mines; that equipment was transported into Abkhazia by some thirty-five to forty military trucks that crossed the Psou River from the Russian side.^[28]

On January 24, 2011 it was reported that Russia had financed repairs on the Abkhaz Railway which would span over three months and reconstruction would cover railway sections from the river Psou on the Russian border to Sokhumi.^[29]

On Apri 8-20, 2020 then acting President of Abkhazia Valeri Bganba had signed an order to close the entire state border with Russia along the Psou River, presumably because of COVID-19 pandemic.^[30]

During the XXVII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 5-8 2024, both sides stated that they would work together in order to "simplify" border controls.^[31]

References[edit]

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