Analysts attribute the halt in issuing Russian passports in Abkhazia to political infighting.

The cessation of issuing Russian passports and driver's licenses in Abkhazia has created inconvenience for residents and could be used in a political struggle against the opposition, whose actions irritate Russia.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on February 6, the Russian Embassy in Abkhazia announced the cessation of issuing Russian passports in Abkhazia. This decision was made following statements by Abkhazian MPs questioning the legality of the issuing offices for Russian documents that opened in January. The exchange of driver's licenses for Russian ones has also been suspended in Abkhazia. Several Abkhaz politicians criticized their colleagues whose statements prompted the Russian side to close the issuance points, while local activists supported the decision.

Experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" disagreed regarding the reasons for the cessation of issuing internal Russian passports and driver's licenses in Abkhazia, the attitude of residents of the republic, and the arrest of the head of the Abkhaz diaspora in Rostov-on-Don, Irakli Bzhinava.

Political scientist David Dasaniya noted that the issue of cessation of issuing Russian passports in Abkhazia has divided the country's population. "Part of the population that wanted greater comfort did not like it. But the patriotic part of the population believes that this cessation is a necessary step, since Abkhazia made too many concessions under previous governments. "There are no opponents of a strategic partnership with Russia in Abkhazia. But the arm-twisting that has taken place in recent years, which was largely due to the fact that Russia clearly lacks experts who understand the mentality of the republic's residents, didn't please the Abkhazians," he told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

At the same time, according to the political scientist, the unilateral halt to the issuance of passports and licenses could be an attempt to incite part of the Abkhazian population against the opposition, blaming it for depriving them of comfortable conditions for obtaining documents.

An expert who has studied Abkhazia for many years, speaking on condition of anonymity, emphasized that the decision to stop issuing documents seems rather strange. "Everyone I've spoken to in recent days agrees that this problem arose out of nothing. Yes, there have been statements from the Abkhazian opposition, but this is their usual tactic – creating noise before elections. "Such a sudden curtailment (when it was possible to simply transfer the issuance to the embassy) may indicate that this is a game played by one of those Kremlin towers that would like to undermine the authority of [Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration] Sergei Kiriyenko," he stated.

He also ruled out as unlikely the possibility that this move by the Russian leadership is part of a bargaining chip with the Abkhaz elites. "There's no one to bargain with here. They're already obedient, though they don't do anything without a proper push," he noted.

The expert emphasized that many Abkhaz residents are irritated by the fact that they will now have to travel to Sochi to obtain documents. "It was convenient for them when it was done locally." "And now we'll have to travel to Sochi—it's far away, and the rudeness of the officials there is well-known," he noted.

Another analyst, also speaking anonymously, believed that Russia's actions reflect irritation at the Abkhaz opposition's statements. "The Russian side as a whole is very irritated by the Abkhaz opposition's 'anti-Russian agenda.' This is nothing new, but the reaction has changed—if before there were just words, now, due to the high level of irritation, action has ensued. Moreover, this emotionality emerged precisely after information about the discussion in parliament appeared," he emphasized.

The expert also stated that the situation with the cancellation of document issuance is being widely discussed among ordinary people, as the ban applies not only to passports but also to driver's licenses, which must be renewed annually. "And, of course, the majority favors maintaining an order that is convenient for the people," he stated.

The expert also considered it possible that the decision to cancel the issuance of Russian documents in Abkhazia is a signal to the Abkhaz elites that assistance will only be provided in exchange for reciprocal measures. "This isn't the first such signal, and this tradition has been going on for quite some time," he noted.

Speaking about Bzhinava's arrest, Dasaniya noted that Abkhazia is literally "seething" over his arrest. "If he's not released, Russian-Abkhaz relations will collapse, rallies will break out, and there will be a real explosion," he noted.

Although official reports indicate the activist's arrest was prompted by a 2022 video featuring harsh statements about the transfer of the Pitsunda state dacha to Russian ownership, Dasaniya believed that this was not the reason for his detention. "There were several people in Rostov-on-Don who constantly reported Bzhinava to the local FSB, and they are forced to respond to these denunciations somehow," he said.

An expert, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that, according to the official version, Bzhinava was detained for the video about the Pitsunda dacha. "On the other hand, I'm rather surprised that they only came for him now – he worked as an associate professor at a Russian state university and openly made statements that contradicted state policy." This could also be a signal to the Abkhaz opposition, who, as it turns out, were not broken by the designation of foreign agents, that if they continue to behave in this way, you could end up in jail," he emphasized.

In 2022, information about the authorities' plans to transfer the state dacha in Pitsunda to Russia caused widespread controversy in Abkhazia. Then-President Aslan Bzhania threatened to use "financial measures" against the Russian ambassador if the agreement on the transfer of the state dacha was not ratified. On December 27, 2023, the republic's parliament ratified the agreement in a closed session amid protests. Abkhaz analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" stated that the Abkhaz authorities have completely lost public trust, and protests over this decision could therefore resume.