Refugees' arrival in Abkhazia is only echo of war in Ukraine

Authorities of Sukhumi have accepted and accommodated about 100 refugees from Donbass; this is the only sign in Abkhazia of hostilities in Ukraine, journalists have pointed out.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 20, Aslan Bzhaniya, President of Abkhazia, stated that Abkhazia was ready to provide military and humanitarian assistance to the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR).

On February 25, Bzhaniya signed decrees recognizing the independence of the DPR and LPR and instructed the government to start preparing for signing the treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with these republics.

Apart from the refugees' arrival, the Russia's military operation in Ukraine had no effect on Abkhazia, said Inal Khashig, the editor-in-chief of the "Chegemskaya Pravda" newspaper. "It is clear that Abkhazia will support Russia as the only guarantor of its independence," he believes.

Izida Chaniya, the editor of the "Nuzhnaya Gazeta" (Wanted Newspaper), has also pointed the absence of any influence of hostilities in Ukraine on Abkhazia. "Everything is calm here; there's no mobilization and no panic," Ms Chaniya has noted.