December 24, 2024

Power for Abkhazia


Power for Abkhazia
Abkhaz flag in the partially recognized republic's president's office. APSNYPRESS, Telegram.

On December 21, Badra Gunba, acting president of the Russian-occupied Abkhazia, announced he would ask Russia for a humanitarian electricity supply due to the collapse of Abkhazia's energy system. The request comes as relations between Russia and the partially-recognized republic have soured.

Abkhazia is a breakaway region of the Republic of Georgia. It took form during Georgia's struggle for independence and the 1992-94 war in Abkhazia. Since then, it has been supported and subsidized by Russia, which seeks to destabilize Georgia by encouraging separatism and ethnic strife. During the Russo-Georgian War of 2008, Russia occupied the region and recognized it as an independent state, an act which contravenes international law and convention.

In November, Abkhazian authorities signed an investment agreement with Russia, and protests over the deal soon followed. Five opposition activists were arrested, sparking a political crisis in Abkhazia. Shortly afterward, President Aslan Bzhania resigned. His vice president, Gunba, was appointed acting president until elections to be held February 15, 2025. The agreement with Russia was not ratified. On December 6, Abkhaz authorities announced a nearly-full halt on Russian funding. 

Abkhazia experiences power shortages every year from November to April. Its key source of electricity is the Inguri Power Station, a hydroelectric facility that relies on the water from the Jvari Reservoir. Abkhazia also receives electrical power from Russia. In October, Abkhaz authorities asked Russia for free electricity supplies for 2025. They received no response.

On December 11, the Inguri Power Station shut down, causing large power outages in occupied Abkhazia. Gunba said, "Power outages for 9 to 11 hours a day are a death sentence to the health and education systems. This puts the lives and health of our children, elderly, and socially vulnerable groups at risk." He warned, "Abkhazia may face a humanitarian catastrophe."

President Gunba blamed the energy system collapse on the November protests and the subsequent deterioration of relations with Russia. He asked the citizens of the Russian-occupied territories to unite. He added, "It is fundamentally important not to harm relations with Abkhazia's allies. We don't have many of them. And the main one is the Russian Federation."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said "When [Abkhazia] asks, there will be a response, of course. Abkhazia is a country native to us. We recognize it as a state (...) Naturally, together with us."

You Might Also Like

Good Sharlot
  • November 28, 2024

Good Sharlot

The Patriarch of Moscow, a close Kremlin ally, forgives a dissenting singer. 
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955