Ochamchira, Georgia (Ports Europe) August 18, 2024 – Satellite images analysed by Bellingcat, an independent investigative collective of researchers, investigators and citizen journalists, show that construction activity has accelerated since early 2024, with multiple buildings and perimeter features under construction in Ochamchira Black Sea port in Russia’s occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia.
Abkhazia claimed in October 2023 that is has signed a deal with Moscow to establish a permanent naval base in its Ochamchira Black Sea port. This follows the panicked withdrawal of most of the Russian navy fleet from Sevastopol port in Moscow-occupied Crimea due to Ukrainian attacks.
Update: Russian Navy base next door to Georgia’s future Anaklia port
Aslan Bzhania, Abkhazia’s leader, said in October 2023 after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin that: “in the future, there will be a permanent base for the Russian navy fleet in the Ochamchira district”. Russia opened a coastguard station in Ochamchira in 2017.
Russian minions in Abkhasia panic
But in a surprising statement a few days ago, Abkhazia’s newly reappointed Foreign Minister, Sergey Shamba, has said there are currently ‘no plans’ to establish a Russian naval base in Abkhazia. Shamba’s claim might indicate panic that Ukraine will pre-emptively attack Ochamchira.
“As for the Ochamchira port, there are no plans to establish a naval base there’, Shamba said. In January he claimed that the Russian base would be operational by the end of 2024.
The commander of the Ukrainian navy, Oleskiy Neizhpapa said at the time that his country considers Russian warships a legitimate target no matter where they were located.
Currently, the Russian Black Sea fleet is in Novorossiysk, the country’s largest port, some 450 km northeast. Novorossiysk is subject to regular Ukrainian drone and missile attacks.
To ensure the proper functioning of the new Russian Navy Black Sea base in Ochamchira (Ochamchire) in the Georgian region of Abkhasia, large-scale preparatory works were already underway in December 2023 near the Abkhaz village of Pichori.
The Bellingcat report appeared to confirm speculation that, despite Russian authorities remaining silent about Bzhaniya’s 2023 announcement, the port in Ochamchira could potentially become a safe haven for vessels of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, especially from Ukrainian naval drone attacks which intensified in the past two years, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Anaklia deep sea port
Pichori is less than 8 km north of Georgia’s Anaklia, where the country’s long-delayed and first deepwater port is to be constructed. The Anaklia deep sea port could drastically speed up (halve) cargo travel times and increase significantly the cargo volumes. Moscow has long opposed it, until recently China state-owned companies took over the original Western project.
Georgia helped Russia sink Anaklia Deep Sea Port project
The response of the Georgian government to a new Russian military base, just 30 km from the territory controlled by the central authorities of Georgia, is insufficient and ineffective, Georgia’s pro-Western public policy think-tank, the Democracy Research Institute, said in November.
50 Georgian opposition MPs asked NATO and the European Union (EU) in November 2023 for a unified stance against Russia’s plan to establish a permanent naval base in Ochamchire port.
Russian Black Sea navy to escape to Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia
The Russian military personnel, in conversations with the local people, said that Pichori will have an auxiliary function of the large military naval base of Ochamchire.
The pro-Russian government in Tbilisi continues to ignore the Russian occupation of Georgian territory. They also sabotaged the construction of Anaklia deep sea port most likely due to Moscow’s opposition.
Ports Europe has an extensive archive on the Anaklia deep sea port project
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