Putin promises continued electricity supplies in meeting with breakaway Abkhazia’s leader

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(Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia would continue supplying electricity to the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia at a meeting in the Kremlin on Wednesday with its leader Badra Gunba.

Putin congratulated Gunba on his victory in a presidential election at the weekend, describing Russia-Abkhazia relations as “special”. The election was held months after Gunba’s predecessor was driven from office following protests over an investment deal with Russia.

Most countries recognise Abkhazia as part of Georgia, which called the election “another flagrant violation of Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

Abkhazia has in recent months been plagued by an electricity crisis, with blackouts blamed on low water levels at a key hydroelectric plant and large-scale cryptocurrency mining, which requires large amounts of energy.

In a televised meeting at the Kremlin, Putin agreed to maintain Russian electricity supplies to Abkhazia until mid-April to help the country to overcome its severe energy deficit.

Additionally, Putin agreed to continue granting Russian citizenship to Abkhazians. According to Gunba, around 70% of the Abkhazian population already hold Russian passports.

A lush, Black Sea coastal territory of about 240,000 people, Abkhazia broke away from Georgia after a war in the early 1990s, with the support of Russia.

Moscow recognised Abkhazia as independent after another war in 2008. Tens of thousands of ethnic Georgians were expelled from the region in successive conflicts.

Though the territory is politically and economically dependent on Russia, some Abkhazians have been critical of what they see as Moscow’s growing influence.

(Reporting by Maxim Rodionov; Editing by Alexander Marrow and)