Russia begins emergency electricity supplies to Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia
Russia has begun providing emergency electricity supplies to Georgia’s Moscow-backed separatist region of Abkhazia, the region’s Energy and Transport Ministry announced, reported TASS.
The unrecognized republic’s power company, Chernomorenergo, stated that electricity cuts would revert to a schedule of four-hour daily restrictions — two hours during the day and two at night. Recently, local authorities reported outages lasting between nine and eleven hours each day.
On December 21, Acting President Badra Gunba appealed to Russia for electricity aid, warning that the ongoing shortage, which began in November, could result in a humanitarian crisis.
Tensions between Russia and Abkhazia have risen since early December, when Abkhazian authorities declined to ratify an investment agreement with Moscow that had sparked opposition protests in the region. Shortly afterward, Abkhazian officials reported that financial support from Russia had nearly ceased, leaving the region unable to pay for electricity imports.
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