Russia, which is building military bases in Abkhazia, can also place the ships of the Black Sea Fleet there

Russia is considering creating a base for the ships of the Black Sea Fleet in Abkhazia, the former commander of the Black Sea Fleet, State Duma deputy Vladimir Komoedov told reporters. So he answered the question of whether the prospects for creating a base in the port of Ochamchir are discussed, RIA Novosti reports.

Komoedov on Thursday took part in an expanded meeting of the State Duma Committee on Defense with the participation of the head of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces Nikolai Makarov. The meeting discussed the concept of the development of the Armed Forces until 2020.

As Interfax adds, it was closed and the state secretary - Deputy Minister of Defense Nikolai Pankov also took part in it.

According to the agency, sources in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the port of Ochamchira could become a possible point of basing ships. At the same time, literally on the eve of the head of the General Staff, the Army General Nikolai Makarov denied the information of the Georgian media that the base of the submarines of the Black Sea Fleet of Russia would appear in Ochamchir. “I do not have such data. This is an invented question,” he commented.

In accordance with the contracts, at about 3,700 military personnel will be placed at the Russian military bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. These bases will be intended, according to the general, "first of all, to protect the interests that we and these republics have in this region." Makarov also said that bases arrangement will be completed in 2009. The main place of deployment of Russian bases in Abkhazia will be a restored Soviet air base in Gudauta .

In September, the President of Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh spoke about future bases. “The new ones will not be built, but we will restore the old ones,” he said in an interview with Rossiy newspaper. “There will be the construction of towns, houses, infrastructure at the previous bases in Gudauta and in the Ochamchir district.”

At the end of the same month, Bagapsh said that Russian troops on an ongoing basis will be placed in the Kodor Gorge, as well as in the Gudauta (on the basis of the military airfield) and Ochamchir (based on the seaport).

Earlier, at the end of August, the military-diplomatic source in Moscow said that Russia could create three military bases in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. "Military experts, together with specialists from other departments, conduct calculations on the possible deployment of military bases, in particular in the Abkhaz cities of the Gudauta and Ochamchir, as well as in the South Ossetian java," he said then to Interfax.

"In the Gudauta, where there is a military airfield, for example, the airborne assault part, aviation and air defense systems, in the port of Ochamchira - part of the ships of the Black Sea Fleet, and in Java - a motorized rifle brigade can be placed," the agency’s interlocutor said.

At the same time, on November 8, the online publication of KM.RU reported that the construction of the Russian base in Ochamchir was no longer planned, since the President of the Bagapsh spoke out against this.

And in September, the same publication published an article entitled "The Abkhaz Okamchir will insistence Sevastopol" , in which, in particular, it is written: "The appearance of another stronghold on the Black Sea at the Russian fleet strengthens the position of Moscow and in the dialogue with Kiev regarding the stay of the Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine. Now Russian diplomacy has an additional space for the maneuver, which, of course, did not, which, of course, did not It cancels the need to preserve our military presence in Sevastopol. "

The same article provides a commentary on the head of the department of the Caucasus of the CIS countries of Mikhail Alexandrov. He said: “As for the Ochamchira, the ships of the Black Sea Fleet were based there in the Soviet period, and now this base will be restored. This is an important strategic point, it was not by chance that the fleet has been based there, and now it will cover the waterways of Abkhazia, ensuring the freedom of shipping and trading in Abkhazia by sea.”

“Previously, Georgian ships invaded the waters of Abkhazia and prevented free trade. So this is a very important point, especially taking into account problems with the Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine,” he continued. “Of course, I don’t think that ours will easily leave Sevastopol after 2017, but it is simply necessary to have additional basement points in Crimea.”