Sokhumi, Tskhinvali, Moscow Digest – March 1-6, 2026

2026-03-07 - 10:15

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 30 Drones Detected Over Abkhazia 30 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were detected in the airspace over Abkhazia on March 4. According to Adgur Gumba, the de facto commander of Abkhazia’s Air Force and Air Defense, 99% of them were destroyed through the joint operation of Abkhaz and Russian air defense systems. Debris from the drones was reportedly found in 11 populated areas. The incident was assessed as an “unprecedented large-scale drone incursion.” Following the incident, Badra Gunba, the de facto leader of Abkhazia, held an extraordinary meeting of the so-called Security Council. He tasked security structures with ensuring clear coordination among all agencies involved in responding to similar incidents. Gunba also instructed de facto officials to conduct public outreach to inform residents about necessary safety measures in case such situations recur. The first drones were reported in Abkhazia in February and appeared to be isolated cases near the de facto border with the Russian Federation. In early March, however, drone activity intensified, with UAVs detected deeper inside the territory, including in Sokhumi, Bichvinta, and Ochamchire. During drone alerts, movement across the “border” is suspended, which has been happening systematically in recent days. Abkhazia’s Main Opposition Leader Risks Prison Sentence The de facto Prosecutor General’s Office of Abkhazia has submitted a request to the “Supreme Court” to strip opposition politician and MP Kan Kvarchia of his “parliamentary immunity”, citing possible elements of a crime. The same request had previously been submitted but was later withdrawn to supplement the case materials. The “court” is now expected to issue its decision within ten days. Kvarchia appeared at the center of a political scandal in the context of the so-called municipal elections held in November 2025. Several days before the vote, Kvarchia, accompanied by a group of activists and opposition figures, entered the office of Russian political technologists operating in Abkhazia. After a confrontation, the group handed the consultants over to the de facto State Security Service along with what Kvarchia described as evidence of their illegal activities. The consultants were subsequently expelled from Abkhazia and later faced administrative charges for “violating Abkhaz election regulations”. After leaving Abkhazia, they accused Kvarchia and several others of assault and theft of money during the incident. The case subsequently escalated in Russia, where criminal proceedings were launched against ten Abkhaz nationals. Seven of them, including Kvarchia and his son, were sentenced in absentia to prison terms by a Russian court. It is noteworthy that following last year’s political turmoil in Abkhazia and the subsequent resignation of then-“president” Aslan Bzhania, Kan Kvarchia was deprived of his Russian citizenship. Abkhazia’s current leader, Badra Gunba, stated that Abkhaz “citizens” would not be extradited to Russia. However, he added that an investigation would be launched in Abkhazia and that those responsible for the incident with Russian political consultants would be held accountable under “Abkhaz legislation”. Abkhazia Passes Winter Season Without Rolling Blackouts According to Timur Djindjolia, Director General of Chernomorenergo, Abkhazia managed to cope effectively with energy challenges last year and passed the autumn-winter period without rolling blackouts, outages, or electricity restrictions, while also significantly reducing the number of accidents in the power grid. Djindjolia said this became possible due to several measures, including the purchase of commercial electricity imports from Russia in August 2025 to reduce the load on the Enguri HPP, the continued installation of electricity meters, improved collection of electricity payments, and non-repayable Russian assistance in the form of so-called social electricity flows. He stressed that until the end of March, Russia will supply Abkhazia with an additional volume of electricity, which is expected to return to the Russian energy system once the Enguri HPP reaches peak generation capacity. According to the head of Chernomorenergo, energy officials are now tasked with preparing an operational plan for the Enguri HPP to ensure that by the beginning of 2027 the water level in the reservoir will be higher than it was in January this year. For this purpose, the company plans to resume purchasing commercial electricity imports from Russia starting already in July. Work on installing electricity meters across Abkhazia is also ongoing. Around 33,000 meters have already been installed, meaning that more than 30% of all subscribers are now equipped with electricity meters. Electricity networks are also slightly upgraded, and recently, a mobile application for paying electricity bills was launched and is available on both iOS and Android devices. Last winter, Abkhazia faced a severe energy crisis. Due to financial constraints and sanctions imposed by the Kremlin, the region was unable to pay for commercial electricity supplies from Russia, while the water level at the Enguri HPP fell below normal levels to supply the whole of Abkhazia with electricity. As a result, residents received electricity for only four hours and forty minutes per day, often even less due to unexpected emergency outages. The poor condition of Abkhazia’s energy sector is linked to several factors, including outdated infrastructure, cryptocurrency mining, low electricity tariffs, and widespread non-payment for electricity. De Facto Government Approves Multiple Health Programs for 2026 with Over $8 Million in Funding The de facto authorities of Abkhazia have approved several healthcare programs for 2026, allocating funding from the so-called republican budget and extra-budgetary funds to support medical treatment, pharmaceutical supplies, and specialized care. This includes: “Treatment of citizens outside and within Abkhazia”, with the budget of 205 million rubles (approximately USD 2.64 million). “Centralized procurement of medicines and medical equipment for state medical institutions” with the funding of 250 million rubles (approximately USD 3.23 million). Program on strengthening tuberculosis prevention and treatment services. The budget is 8 million rubles (approximately USD 103,000). “Treatment of infertility using in vitro fertilization (IVF)”. The program’s budget is 35 million rubles (approximately USD 451,000). Kidney replacement therapy program, with the allocated funding of 60 million rubles (approximately USD 774,000). A program providing medicines and medical supplies for pregnant women and postpartum patients in hospitals. Its funding is 12.5 million rubles (approximately USD 161,000). Chemotherapy assistance program for cancer patients, with a budget of 96.55 million rubles (approximately USD 1.25 million). Gali Schools Under Scrutiny The Abkhaz “pro-government” Telegram channel АМRА‐life has published a post alleging ongoing influence by the Georgian authorities on schools in the Gali district.