Russia is constructing a new naval base in Ochamchira, Abkhazia, raising concerns that Georgia could be pulled into the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The development comes as Russia seeks to protect its naval assets following significant losses to its Black Sea fleet. According to reports, Ukraine has damaged or destroyed approximately one-third of Russia’s naval forces in the region since the 2022 invasion. The new base location offers greater security for Russian vessels, being further from Ukrainian strike capabilities than existing facilities.
The new base in Abkhazia, a breakaway region internationally recognized as part of Georgia but controlled by Russian-backed separatists, puts Tbilisi in a precarious position: any Ukrainian strikes on Russian naval assets there could effectively force Georgia into the war.
“Ukraine recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, and should it decide to strike, this will eventually mean that Georgia would be dragged into this conflict,” Security analyst Natia Siskuriy from RUSI explains.
Beyond military implications, the base threatens to disrupt a crucial emerging trade route between Asia and Europe. Before Russia invaded Ukraine, over 85% of land-based trade between Europe and China went through Russia. With that northern route now disrupted by sanctions, attention has turned to the Middle Corridor running through Georgia.
The World Bank projects this route could handle 11 million tonnes of cargo by 2030, up from under 3 million tonnes in 2023. Georgia’s planned deep-sea port in Anaklia is key to this expansion, but Siskuriy warns that the Russian base just an hour away “will eventually kill the Anaklia project.”
Satellite imagery reveals ongoing modifications to the Ochamchira port, including widened access points to accommodate larger vessels. While modest in size, experts note the facility could support ships carrying cruise missiles, enhancing Russia’s military presence in the Black Sea region.
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