Russia ‘concerned’ by Georgia’s ‘provocative actions at borders’ with occupied Tskhinvali, Abkhazia

Russia says it is concerned by the ‘more frequent and provocative statements and actions of Georgia’ towards currently occupied Tskhinvali and Abkhazia regions of Georgia, and accuses the US Department of State and the US Embassy in Georgia of ‘provocative activities.’ 

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The statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry says that Georgia ‘has made illegal border crossings with the independent states of Abkhazia and South Ossetia (Tskhinvali) more frequent’, urging Tbilisi ‘to suspend the illegal activities.’ 

The statement comes amid international condemnation of redoubled occupation efforts during the pandemic and recent shooting and detention of a Georgian citizen ‘for illegally crossing the border’’ by Russian-led occupation forces. 

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Unfortunately, Tbilisi is trying to stage a play and shift responsibility onto others. We urge Tbilisi to suspend provocations and making provocative statements and use all formats of dialogue with Russia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia to resolve existing problems, including Geneva Discussions, Abashidze-Karasin non-formal negotiation format and the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism Meetings (IPRM),” Russia says. 

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US embassy at the end of May, 2020: 'over the past two weeks Russian-led security forces have erected unauthorised fences and reinforced existing illegal ‘borderisation’ efforts near 12 separate Georgian villages.' Photo: US Embassy, Tbilisi.

Russia says that the statements made by the US Department of State and the embassy ‘undermines Washington’s role as an impartial participant in the Geneva Discussions’, and that Tbilisi ‘must launch negotiations in a timely manner’ with Abkhazia and Tskhinvali on ‘the demarcation of the border to prevent illegal border crossings.’ 

Since August 2019 Tskhinvali has refused to participate in IPRM meetings, protesting the construction of a Georgian police post ‘near its border’, on Tbilisi-administered territory. 

Russia recognised the two Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali as independent states after the Russia-Georgia 2008 war. 

Since then only Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria have recognised the regions as independent states. 

The rest of the international community is unanimous that the regions are occupied by Russia, calling on the country to leave the Georgian territory.