Inal Ardzinba

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Liya Argba and David Gobechiya. Images via RFE/RL and a screengrab from Telegram.

Abkhazia

Journalist and activist attacked by ‘masked men’ in Abkhazia

by OC Media

•2 min read

An independent journalist, David Gobechiya, and a member of an anti-government activist group, Liya Agrba, were attacked by a masked group outside Sukhumi (Sukhum) on Sunday, an incident opposition groups claim was politically motivated. Gobechiya is the editor of Dnews and Abkhaz Portal, independent Abkhazian Telegram channels, while Agrba is a member of the Hara H-Pitsunda (‘Our Pitsunda’) movement, formed in 2022 to protest the transfer of a Soviet state dacha to Russia. According to

Abkhazia

Abkhazian Foreign Minister fired and ‘summoned for questioning’

by OC Media

•2 min read

Abkhazian President Aslan Bzhaniya has fired foreign minister Inal Ardzinba, with Ardzinba reported to have been summoned for questioning by the State Security Service. Bzhaniya issued a decree dismissing Ardzinba on Tuesday, stating that Deputy Foreign Minister Irakli Tuzhba would head the ministry in the interim. Bzhaniya’s website did not reveal the reasons behind Ardzinba’s sacking. Shortly after his dismissal, local Telegram channel Apsny Portal cited sources as saying that Ardzinba had

Abkhazia

Abkhazia bans USAID and peacebuilding projects amidst new restrictions on foreign aid

by OC Media

•3 min read

Abkhazia’s Foreign Ministry has introduced sweeping new restrictions on foreign aid, including banning USAID funding, funding of media, as well as projects aiming to establish contacts across the line of conflict. Thursday’s announcement was attributed in part to a US Agency for International Development (USAID) document reportedly describing Abkhazia as ‘the occupied territory of Georgia’ and declaring its aim to ‘restore Georgia’s territorial integrity’. The same text was also referred to

Abkhazia

Abkhazia’s foreign minister warns of growing Georgian–Russian ties

by OC Media

•4 min read

Abkhazia’s Foreign Minister Inal Ardzinba has warned citizens that improving Georgian–Russian relations could threaten Abkhazia, while also suggesting that Georgia was prepared to attack the region given the opportunity. Just under two weeks after Ardzinba was rumoured to have resigned from his position, the foreign minister has begun a series of meetings with local residents in Abkhazia’s towns and cities. The stated subject of the meetings, which began on 18 August, is Abkhaz–Russian

Abkhazia

Confusion in Abkhazia as foreign minister ‘resigns’ and returns

by OC Media

•3 min read

Abkhazia’s Foreign Ministry has denied reports that Foreign Minister Inal Ardzinba submitted his resignation on Monday night, with the minister reportedly later telling colleagues that his announcement was a ‘joke’. On the following day, a number of senior officials were dismissed. Independent Abkhazian Telegram channel D News was the first to report Ardzinba’s resignation on the evening of 4 September, claiming he had told his team he was leaving his post and ‘returning to Russia’. The f

Abkhazia

Abkhazia slams ‘provocations’ from Georgia and Ukraine

by Marianna Kotova

•2 min read

Abkhazia’s Foreign Minister, Inal Ardzinba, has warned about ‘provocations’ aimed at Abkhazia from Georgia as well as those by Ukraine generally, in a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova. The minister began the conference in Sukhum (Sukhumi) on Friday by accusing Georgia of conducting a ‘hybrid information war’. Ardzinba said the ministry was developing ‘special software’ to analyse publications about Abkhazia in foreign and international media.