KEY POINTS
- Russia steps in to assist Abkhazia with emergency electricity supply.
- Power shortages result from low water levels at Enguri Dam.
- Shutdowns reduced as Abkhazia faces a winter humanitarian crisis.
Russia will begin providing emergency electricity to Abkhazia, a breakaway Georgian region, starting Monday, local officials confirmed.
The humanitarian aid follows an appeal from Abkhazia’s leadership, which described the current power shortages as a “humanitarian catastrophe.”
Abkhazia, located along the Black Sea and bordering Russia’s Krasnodar region, has faced prolonged power outages since early December.
Low water levels at the Enguri hydroelectric dam, the region’s primary energy source, forced an emergency shutdown, leaving residents with 9-11 hours of daily outages.
Shutdowns reduced amid power crisis
In response to Abkhazia’s appeal, Russia has agreed to supply electricity to the region, easing the crisis.
Badra Gunba, Abkhazia’s self-styled president, praised Moscow’s swift assistance.
“The Russian leadership has once again extended a helping hand to us and is starting to carry out a humanitarian transfer of electricity to the republic,” Gunba said.
With this support, Chernomorenergo, Abkhazia’s state energy company, announced that daily power cuts would decrease to just four hours instead of the previous 9-11 hours.
Historic ties and ongoing support
Abkhazia declared independence from Georgia following a war in the early 1990s, leading to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of ethnic Georgians.
According to Reuters, Moscow has consistently backed the region, officially recognizing Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states after a brief war with Georgia in 2008.
This latest intervention shows Russia’s commitment to supporting Abkhazia during its most pressing challenges.
However, neither Russia’s Energy Ministry nor Inter RAO, the state-controlled electricity exporter, has commented on the specifics of the aid plan.
As winter intensifies, the need for reliable power becomes critical in Abkhazia, with residents relying heavily on Moscow’s intervention to address the escalating crisis.
