Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Badra Gunba on winning the presidential "election" in the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia in a statement released by the Kremlin's press service on March 2.
"I expect that the friendly, allied Russian-Abkhazian relations will continue to strengthen for the benefit of our brotherly nations," Putin's message goes on to read.
Abkhazia, an occupied region internationally recognized as part of Georgia, has been under de facto Russian control since the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia.
Aslan Bzhania, the former leader of Abkhazia, submitted his resignation on Nov. 19 in a bid to quell mounting unrest over a proposed investment deal with Russia. The agreement, which would allow Russian citizens to purchase property in Abkhazia, fueled fears of deeper Russian entrenchment in the territory and was subsequently scrapped.
Gunba, the winner of the presidential "election," is considered to be a pro-Kremlin politician.
Freedom House, a U.S.-based NGO advocating for democracy and political freedom, said that Abkhazia's legal framework "does not support fully democratic elections," but noted that "incumbent officials remain vulnerable to defeat at the polls."
Katie Marie Davies
(Updated: )
