Putin congratulates President of Abkhazia on Victory and Independence Day

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory telegram to President of Abkhazia Badra Gunbe on the occasion of Victory and Independence Day.

Russian-Abkhazian relations are friendly and allied. I am confident that they will continue to be strengthened for the benefit of our peoples, in the interests of ensuring regional stability and security, Putin said. He added that Moscow will continue to help Sukhum in resolving issues of state building and socio-economic development.

At the end of September 1993, the Abkhaz armed forces gained full control of the autonomy, after which the Georgian-Abkhaz war ended. The republic declared independence in May 1992. In 2008, the independence of Abkhazia was recognized by Russia and Nicaragua, later by Venezuela and Syria. Other UN member states consider Abkhazia part of Georgia.