Ahead of Abkhazia’s election, Russian media paint opposition candidate as ‘Turkish agent’
Russian media and Abkhazian presidential race
Russian media and social media bloggers accuse opposition leader and Abkhazia‘s presidential candidate Adgur Ardzinba of having pro-Turkish sentiments.
The only “evidence” against the 43-year-old is that he attended the Turkish-run Basharan College.
At a press conference on 31 January, a reporter from Russian state broadcaster Russia Today asked Ardzinba whether he maintains ties with his Turkish classmates—apparently unaware that Basharan College operated in Abkhazia and that Ardzinba’s classmates were also Abkhaz.
Ignoring the lack of any real links between Ardzinba and Turkey, Russian media continue to promote the narrative of a “pro-Turkish candidate” in Abkhazia’s presidential election, portraying him as allegedly hostile to Russia.
This narrative somewhat subsided after Sergey Kiriyenko, the first deputy head of the Kremlin administration now overseeing Abkhazian affairs, stated a few days earlier that Moscow would “respect any choice made by the Abkhaz people” and work closely with the new president, regardless of who it is.
However, while major Russian federal TV channels are now trying to avoid such rhetoric, Telegram channels and bloggers continue to expose Adgur Ardzinba as a “Turkish agent.”
This is only the second time in Abkhazia’s electoral history that the frontrunner in a presidential race has been branded an “anti-Russian element” and a foreign agent.
The first instance occurred 20 years ago when Moscow backed presidential candidate Raul Khadjimba. To bolster his chances, Russian political strategists resorted to portraying his rival, Sergey Bagapsh, as a pro-Georgian politician. However, the Abkhaz public strongly rejected this attempt at manipulation, and the tactic backfired—Bagapsh was elected president despite significant pressure from Moscow. Ironically, he later established excellent relations with the Kremlin.
Now, it seems the same strategy is being used to support Adgur Ardzinba’s main rival—pro-government candidate and Moscow’s clear favourite, Badr Gunba.
Whether the outcome will be different this time will soon be revealed—Abkhazia’s presidential election is set for 15 February.
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Russian media and Abkhazian presidential race
