Below is the weekly digest of key developments and discourses in and around the occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia, as well as those concerning Tbilisi–Moscow relations.
Sokhumi
- Abkhazia’s de facto Foreign Minister Oleg Bartsits Holds Talks with Sergey Lavrov
Abkhazia’s de facto Foreign Minister Oleg Bartsits and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks in Moscow on economic, humanitarian and security “cooperation”.
Lavrov described Russia-Abkhazia relations as strategic and allied, and highlighted Abkhazia’s support for Russia amid the war in Ukraine. He also noted a 16% increase in bilateral trade in 2025 and a 40% rise in Russian excursion trips to Abkhazia in 2026.
Tourism and infrastructure were key topics. Lavrov said Moscow would support Abkhazia’s plans to increase annual tourist arrivals to five million by 2030. Bartsits highlighted the reopening of Sukhumi airport, saying around 200,000 people had used the airport since its reopening, as well as ongoing railway and maritime cooperation.
The two sides also discussed investment, preferential lending, and cooperation in healthcare, education and culture. Following the bilateral talks, a “trilateral” meeting between Lavrov, Bartsits, and South Ossetia’s de facto Foreign Minister Akhsar Dzhioev was held to discuss regional security.
- Russia and Occupied Abkhazia Agree to Mutual Recognition of ‘Customs Inspection Results‘
Sokhumi and Moscow have agreed to mutually recognize “customs inspection” results, a measure expected to facilitate the movement of goods across the so-called Psou border crossing.
The relevant “protocol” was signed on 25 September by Russia’s Federal Customs Service and the de facto Customs Committee of Abkhazia, following more than four years of negotiations.
According to the document, the two sides will exchange “customs inspection” data electronically. In cases where goods or vehicles have already been inspected by one side, the other side may use the results instead of conducting a duplicate inspection.
The de facto Customs Committee said the new mechanism is intended to reduce processing times and ease congestion at the border, particularly during the tourist and citrus seasons when passenger and cargo flows increase.
Abkhaz de facto officials described “mutual recognition of customs controls” as an established international practice and said the new system would improve the efficiency and capacity of the “border crossing.”
- Russian Tourist Killed in Gagra
A 26-year-old Russian citizen, Amina Bikbova, was killed while on holiday in Gagra in late September. The de facto Interior Ministry detained 25-year-old local resident Edgar Abukhba, who confessed to the killing.
According to the de facto authorities, Bikbova met Abukhba in Gagra on 23 September and later accompanied him to a rented apartment. He initially denied involvement but subsequently confessed to strangling her and showed investigators where he had left her body.
The case has caused widespread outrage because Abukhba had previously been convicted of the rape and violent assault of a Russian tourist in 2019. As he was a minor at the time, his sentence was reduced from nine years, and he was released in February 2024.
De facto Ombudsman Anas Kishmaria attributed the incident to what she described as systemic shortcomings in the penitentiary system, including inadequate rehabilitation and post-release supervision. She called for reforms to penitentiary legislation and greater prevention and awareness efforts concerning sexual violence.
The Gagra district administration covered the cost of transporting Bikbova’s body to Russia and provided assistance to her relatives.
Abukhba has been placed in pre-trial detention for two months. The investigation continues. Read more here.
Tskhinvali
- Lavrov Announces Moscow’s Support for New Leadership of Occupied Tskhinvali
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held separate bilateral and trilateral meetings with Oleg Bartsits, the “foreign minister” of Russian-occupied Abkhazia, and Akhsar Jioev, acting “foreign minister” of the occupied Tskhinvali region, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.
During a separate meeting with representatives of the occupied Tskhinvali region, Sergey Lavrov congratulated the region’s residents on a number of commemorative dates, including “Republic Day,” the anniversary of Russia’s recognition of the region’s independence, and the establishment of diplomatic relations with the occupied region. He noted the early “presidential election” held on September 18, which was won by Marat Kambolov, and stated that “the election was conducted in a completely legitimate manner, without any violations” and that Moscow intends to continue close cooperation with the region’s new leadership.
Lavrov also thanked the region’s authorities and residents for their support of Russia and for their assistance in conducting the elections to the Russian State Duma.
The Russian minister noted the participation of “foreign observers” in the “presidential election” from Belarus, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Mexico, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Turkey, and Germany. He expressed Moscow’s readiness to facilitate the expansion of the region’s international contacts.
According to him, bilateral relations continue to develop: trade volume grew by nearly 15% in 2025, and joint projects are being implemented in the fields of transportation, healthcare, education, and culture.
- Gergiev Performs in Tskhinvali, Agrees to Hold Annual Concerts by Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra
A concert by the Russian Mariinsky Theater Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Valery Gergiev, took place in Tskhinvali as part of the 8th International “Mariinsky–Vladikavkaz” Festival. Local news agency Res reports that the performance took place at “the State Drama Theater” and drew a full house. The event was attended by Marat Kambolov, the leader of the occupied Tskhinvali region, former regional leaders, representatives from Russia, and members of the public. Kambolov thanked the ensemble for their visit and expressed hope that the performances would become an annual tradition.
Marat Kambolov announced an agreement with Gergiev that the Mariinsky Theater Symphony Orchestra would perform in Tskhinvali annually.
Valery Gergiev was sanctioned by Canada in 2025 due to his public support for the Russian authorities and his close ties to Vladimir Putin. After Russia launched a full-scale war against Ukraine, many Western cultural institutions ceased cooperation with him; however, these were decisions made by individual organizations, not government sanctions.
On August 21, 2008, after the end of the active phase of the Russian-Georgian war, Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra held a requiem concert in Tskhinvali in memory of those killed during the war, performing on the steps of the destroyed “parliament” building before Tskhinvali residents and Russian military personnel.
- Kokoity: Tskhinvali Residents Have High Level of Trust in Kambolov
Eduard Kokoity, the former leader of the occupied Tskhinvali region, stated that the region’s elected leader, Marat Kambolov, had managed to earn the residents’ high level of trust in a short period of time, as evidenced, in his view, by the results of the “presidential election.” Local news agency Res cites Kokoity as saying that Kambolov faces the challenges of strengthening statehood, developing the economy, and improving the standard of living for the population. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining a strategic partnership with Russia and uniting society around common goals. The former regional leader expressed confidence in Kambolov’s professional and personal qualities, wishing him wisdom and success in his new position.
- Jioev, Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Discuss Strengthening Partnerships
On September 29, Akhsar Jioev, acting “foreign minister” of the occupied Tskhinvali region, held a meeting with Nicaraguan Co-Foreign Minister Valdrack Ludwing Jaentschke Whitaker, who was in Tskhinvali to attend Marat Kambolov’s inauguration ceremony. Local news agency Res reports that during the talks, the parties discussed the development of partnership relations between Tskhinvali and Managua and emphasized the importance of further strengthening bilateral cooperation. Jioev thanked the Nicaraguan side for its support of the region and noted that the Nicaraguan delegation’s visit represents another step in the development of friendly relations between the two sides.
Moscow – Tbilisi
- Novikova: Development of Ties Between Russia and Georgia Possible Without Resolving Political Disputes
In her article published on September 30 by the Russian International Affairs Council, Polina Novikova, an analyst at the Center for Digital Axiology and Hermeneutics at the Institute of Humanities and Social Technologies of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, asserts that Russian-Georgian relations have entered a period of limited pragmatism, during which the parties are developing trade, transport, and humanitarian ties despite ongoing political disagreements. This conclusion was prompted by a statement by Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on the unacceptability of “Russophobia” and “xenophobia,” which is seen as a sign of a softening in Tbilisi’s official rhetoric.
The article notes the growth in Russian-Georgian trade, as well as active tourism and humanitarian contacts; however, it emphasizes that diplomatic relations remain absent, and the issue of Georgia’s territorial integrity remains the main obstacle to normalization.
The author devotes particular attention to occupied Abkhazia, which, in her assessment, is an independent political entity rather than merely the subject of a Russian-Georgian dispute. She asserts that any attempts at a settlement that do not take Sokhumi’s position into account are doomed to failure.
Russian-Abkhaz relations following the crisis surrounding the 2024 investment agreement are examined separately. The author believes that Moscow has adjusted its approach to cooperation, abandoning certain controversial initiatives and emphasizing more cautious socioeconomic integration.
According to the author, the key “red line” for occupied Abkhazia remains the preservation of its independence and sovereignty. In this regard, the idea of a possible Russian-Georgian “deal” on Abkhazia is described as unrealistic. The most likely scenario, according to the article, is the development of practical cooperation in the humanitarian, transportation, and economic spheres while maintaining existing political differences.
- ‘Putin’s Route’ Through Abkhazia?
A transport and logistics initiative called the “Putin’s Route,” which envisages establishing transport links between Russia, Georgia and Armenia through Russian-occupied Abkhazia, is being actively discussed in expert and political circles, Aram Safaryan, director of the Center for Russian Studies at Yerevan State University, told RIA Novosti.
The initiative was proposed by Vladislav Gasumyanov, director of Russia’s National Research Institute for Communications Development, and was presented in May 2026. According to RIA Novosti, the initiative was discussed Monday at an international expert conference in Moscow titled “Prospects for the Development of Transport and Logistics Networks in the South Caucasus.”
- Brief Overview of Russian Media: Georgia and Russian-Georgian Relations
From September 25 to October 2, the Russian media focused on both domestic political processes in Georgia and the economic and humanitarian ties between Moscow and Tbilisi.
One of the notable political topics was Georgia’s relations with the United States. The media reported on a meeting between Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Donald Trump and his proposal to resume the strategic partnership between Tbilisi and Washington. At the same time, “positive signals” for the restoration of Georgian-American relations were noted.
On the domestic political front, coverage focused on statements by Georgian authorities regarding a decline in protest activity, as well as reports of restrictions on a solidarity rally in support of former President Mikheil Saakashvili.
In the economic sphere, the growth in Russian goods shipments to Georgia was highlighted. It was reported that exports of Russian pork had increased nearly fivefold, along with growth in imports of Russian tea and cosmetics. At the same time, Russian media noted a decline in shipments of Georgian mineral water to the Russian market.
RIA Novosti reported that in August, Georgia increased its imports of Russian cheese by 43%, to USD 504,000; from January through August, shipments reached 3.7 million, which is 23% more than last year’s figure.
Another notable topic was the expansion of transportation links. It was reported that Red Wings had requested permits for flights to Georgia from 23 Russian cities, as well as for increasing the frequency of flights between Yekaterinburg and Batumi. The new routes are expected to operate 2–3 times a week.
Russian media also actively published stories about Georgia’s appeal as a tourist destination. According to the OneTwoTrip service, the country ranked among the top three most affordable international destinations for Russian tourists during the 2027 New Year’s holidays.
The media devoted considerable attention to sports. The central topic was the Trialeti Trophy international figure skating tournament in Batumi, in which Russian athletes participated. Coverage included master classes by Eteri Tutberidze and Sergei Dudakov, the roster of participants, and the prospects for the Georgian national team, which includes a number of former Russian figure skaters.
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