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, an EU High Representative spokesperson says in a statement.
As it is noted in the statement, "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," the statement reads.
On October 4, the de facto leader of occupied Abkhazia, Aslan Bzhania, voiced an intention of Russia to establish a navy base near occupied 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.
„Russia will reportedly build a permanent naval base in Abkhazia, but it will likely remain small. Russian-backed Abkhazian President Aslan Bzhania announced on October 5 that he had signed an agreement with Russian authorities for the construction of a permanent Russian naval base near occupied Ochamchire, Abkhazia. Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the alleged permanent base in Abkhazia. Publicly available satellite imagery shows that existing port infrastructure near occupied Ochamchire is limited and that the surrounding coastline consists of sandy beaches — terrain largely unsuitable for the construction of naval infrastructure. The existing port is unsuitable to become a primary base for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, but the Russian military could expand existing naval infrastructure and use the Ochamchire port as a subsidiary base in the future,“ - the American Institute for the Study of War reports in a study that it customarily devotes to the conflict fought by Russia in Ukraine.
