Week in the Caucasus: review of main events of November 25-December 1, 2024

Protests in Georgia, persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia, drone attacks, political crisis in Abkhazia, and official data on the natives of Southern Russia who perished in Ukraine, – see the review of these and other events in the Caucasus during the week of November 25-December 1, 2024, prepared by the “Caucasian Knot”.

Protests in Georgia

On December 1, the cities of Batumi, Gori, Kobuleti, Kutaisi, and Rustavi hosted protest actions held by supporters of European integration. In Tbilisi, protesters held a march and gathered in front of the parliament building. Other people who wanted to participate in the protests against the suspension of negotiations on Georgia’s membership in the European Union (EU) also headed to the parliament building. In the evening, special forces used special means against protesters who gathered in front of the parliament building.

At night, 50 people were detained at the protest action in Tbilisi, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) reports. Some of the detainees have been released, some are still being kept in temporary detention facilities, and some have been hospitalized. Most of the detainees are accused of failure to obey the police and petty hooliganism. In Tbilisi, temporary detention facilities are overcrowded with detained protestors, and some of the detainees have been transported to other cities.

On November 30, protesters blocked the roadway of Rustaveli Avenue in central Tbilisi and arranged barricades. Law enforcers and special vehicles are accumulated in front of the parliament building. Closer to midnight, law enforcers used a water cannon to disperse supporters of European integration, and the police declared the protests to be violent. Up to 130 people have been detained.

On November 28, the European Parliament refused to recognize the results of the parliamentary elections in Georgia and called for sanctions against the leaders of the “Georgian Dream” Party. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that Georgia would refuse to negotiate accession to the EU until the end of 2028. The Prime Minister’s statement provoked the start of protests throughout the country. Supporters of European integration have announced the creation of a resistance committee headed by President Salome Zurabishvili.

Several ambassadors and Deputy Foreign Minister Teimuraz Djandjaliya have resigned in protest against the ruling party’s decision to suspend the European integration process. Employees of a number of public institutions have expressed their disagreement with the government’s position.

The US Department of State has announced the suspension of its strategic partnership with Georgia. “By suspending Georgia’s EU accession process, the ‘Georgian Dream’ Party has rejected the opportunity for closer ties with Europe and made Georgia more vulnerable to the Kremlin," the US Department of State announced on its website.

The Georgian “Channel One” TV Channel has agreed to provide airtime to the protesters – journalists and activists of civil society – who gathered in front of the TV channel’s building. A special TV report has already been aired on the “Channel One” TV Channel.

Georgian president Salome Zurabishvili has declared herself the only legitimate representative of power in the country and joined the protesters. “I will stay with you and society. This is a resistance movement,” said Salome Zurabishvili as quoted by the “News Georgia news agency.

The ruling “Georgian Dream” Party has nominated MP Mikhail Kavelashvili as its presidential candidate. The election is scheduled for December 14. Mikhail Kavelashvili is a dependent figure with no experience in foreign policy, and he will not be able to oppose Bidzina Ivanishvili’s decisions. His nomination can be explained by the party’s desire to isolate Georgia from the West, Georgian analysts have suggested.

Persecution of pacifists and activists in Southern Russia

A court arrested Djemal Sadoev, a resident of Zheleznovodsk, for five days, finding him guilty of public propaganda of extremism. According to the investigators’ version, while staying in a public place, Djemal Sadoev was shouting slogans in support of Ukraine. The law enforcement bodies saw his actions as public propaganda of extremist organizations and instituted a case against him. In court, Djemal Sadoev admitted his guilt and repented of his actions.

In the Seversky District, a court fined local resident Pavel Kharlamov, finding that a comment he left on Telegram discredited the Russian militaries. In his comment, Pavel Kharlamov expressed his pacifist position.

In the Stavropol Territory, a court fined Anastasia Kalmykova 30,000 roubles. According to the woman’s story, a neighbour made a remark to her because of the music coming from her house. A neighbour’s husband intervened in their conversation, saying that “now is not the time to listen to music, because the special military operation is going on.” In response, Anastasia Kalmykova expressed her doubts about what for participants of the special military operation (SMO) perished, and the court found those words to be discrediting to the Russian Armed Forces.

Drone attacks

On the night of November 30, the Russian air defence forces neutralized several drones over the Black Sea, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) reports. In total, three drones launched from the direction of Ukraine were neutralized, the Russian MoD reports on its Telegram channel.

On the night of November 28, drones attacked the Krasnodar Territory. In the morning, fragments of a drone were found in a farmstead in the Krasnoarmeisky District. The authorities announced the evacuation of residents of several streets in the farmstead.

The territory of the Rostov Region has been regularly attacked by drones since the start of the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine. So, on November 26, the Russian air defence forces neutralized 24 drones, including in the area of Novoshakhtinsk, Taganrog, Kamensk, and Zernograd.

On the night of November 25, thirty drones launched from the direction of Ukraine were destroyed in the Rostov Region, Yuri Slyusar reported on his Telegram channel.

Political crisis in Abkhazia

The opposition called for immediate constitutional reforms in Abkhazia. Former President of Abkhazia Aslan Bzhaniya spoke out against the transition to a mixed parliamentary-presidential form of government.

On November 28, the Abkhazian parliament was to consider the draft law “On Legislative and Executive Power”, providing for the transfer of a number of powers from the president to the parliament of Abkhazia, in particular, the appointment of ministers by the parliament and the abolition of the post of prime minister. However, the acting president of Abkhazia withdrew the draft law for revision. Some MPs were surprised by such decision.

On the same day, Abkhazian MPs set the date for the presidential election in Abkhazia. The voting will take place on February 15, 2025.

Public and political organizations of Abkhazia called on Speaker of the Parliament Lashe Ashube to submit the investment agreement to the next session and reject it.

Official data on natives of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine

By December 1, the authorities and the law enforcement bodies reported about at least 5383 residents of Southern Russia perished in Ukraine, including 2586 residents of the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) and 2797 residents of the Southern Federal District (SFD).

In Dagestan, the authorities reported about 1135 local residents perished in Ukraine, in the Volgograd Region – 1008, in the Rostov Region – 600, in the Krasnodar Territory – 598, in the Stavropol Territory – 545, in the Astrakhan Region – 418, in North Ossetia – 323, in Chechnya – 215, in Kabardino-Balkaria – 189, in Kalmykia – 104, in Ingushetia – 96, in Karachay-Cherkessia – 83, and in Adygea – 69.