Representatives of occupied Abkhazia claim ‘they does not intend to join Russia’

Valeri Kvarchia, the so-called Speaker of the parliament of the occupied Abkhazia region, says that “Abkhazia does not intend to join Russia”.

“Russia is our strategic partner, a native and close state, but we do not intend to become part of the Russian Federation,” Kvarchia said.

Sergei Shamba, the head of the so-called security council of de-facto Abkhazia, noted that “the Abkhaz remain in favour of independence”.

“There are no sentiments of joining Russia among Abkhaz political circles and the public. We paid a high price for independence,” Shamba said.

Anatoly Bibilov, the so-called President of the Kremlin-occupied Tskhinvali region, said in his video address yesterday that his regime would take appropriate legal steps to ensure unification with Russia.