Russia is holding large-scale military trainings in Georgia’s occupied region of Abkhazia, Abkhaz media has reported, based on information released by the Russian military’s 7th Southern Base in Abkhazia.
The trainings are for a combined military group of both Russian and Abkhaz forces.
"After the trainings, the combined forces will be a tool to repel future threats from any kind of enemy. More than 100 trainings are planned to take place this year," Abkhaz news site apsny.ru reports were stated in the 7th Southern base press release.
In November 2016, Russian parliament ratified an agreement which will see the Russian military in Abkhazia combine forces with Abkhazia military forces.
The agreement seeks to create a “common security and defense space” for the purposes of “repelling aggression.” The main task of the united subdivisions it to create "an adequate response to the military attack.”
The combined military group will be comprised of the dislocated Russian military base in Abkhazia, two battalions of light armored troops from Abkhazia's military, aviation groups, artillery groups, and subdivisions of special ops forces. The military group will be lead by representatives in Russia's military base.
Russian Member of Parliament Leonid Kalashnikov, who is the Chairman of the Committee of the CIS, said the ratification of the agreement responds to the interests of Russia, promotes the strengthening of state sovereignty, and supports Russia's territorial integrity.