'Perhaps Russia simply doesn't want free and democratic Abkhazia?' — Opinion

Russian interference in Abkhazia elections

Tomorrow, on March 1, Abkhazia will hold the second round of its presidential election. The two candidates in the race are opposition leader Adgur Ardzinba and the government-backed candidate Badra Gunba. The Kremlin has thrown its weight behind Gunba, investing significant resources to secure his victory—a move that has sparked outrage among both the Abkhaz opposition and civil society.

Prominent public figure and blogger Akhra Bzhania believes that tomorrow’s vote is not just about electing a president but about deciding the historical trajectory of the republic.

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Akhra Bzhania:

Nearly all presidential elections in Abkhazia have taken place with relative neutrality from Russia.

But this time, the situation is entirely different.

State-controlled Russian media and an army of paid online trolls are bombarding citizens with propaganda about a supposed pro-Turkish conspiracy within the opposition—fully aware that this is nonsense.

Russian state agencies are deporting and stripping citizenship from opponents of their chosen candidate.

Entire national communities are facing pressure through regional networks and informal power brokers.

Meanwhile, Abkhaz students are being transported to polling stations in Cherkessk and Moscow—where dubious individuals are attempting to vote using fraudulent passports!

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Moscow persistently treats Badra Gunba as an incumbent official, despite him not holding such a position.

May we ask: what’s going on? Why all this interference?

Is the U.S. or the EU about to recognize us and bring their “corrupting Anglo-Saxon influence” here? No? Maybe Turkey, then? Still no?

Well, we can figure it out ourselves.

It seems the real issue is that we want to control our own resources instead of watching local officials and foreign profiteers grow rich off our country while throwing us scraps.

Does this not sit well with Russia?

Perhaps Moscow is uncomfortable with a free, sovereign, and democratic Abkhazia?

Well, sorry, but we’re not sharing! Not a piece of our sovereignty, not half of it—no one gets a cut.

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No law or agreement that threatens Abkhazians on our land will ever be accepted—neither by society nor by parliament. And no politician willing to compromise on these issues, no matter who backs them—Martians included—will ever lead the Abkhaz state again!

Those who orchestrated this crisis have already lost and know it. After the first round of elections, the political process took an entirely new turn.

Now, it’s no longer just about electing a president—it’s about choosing Abkhazia’s historical path.

It’s about deciding how we enter tomorrow: free and confident in our future or silent and ready to trade away our sovereignty.

That’s the real question on the ballot on 1 March 2025—and there is only one possible answer!

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Russian interference in Abkhazia elections