Russian officials begin an annexation campaign in separatist Tskhinvali

A de-facto Tskhinvali (South Ossetian) initiative group launched a campaign for Russia's annexation of the occupied province, while a delegation of Russian officials landed in the Georgian separatist region. Guests included Russian Senator Alexander Karelin, Russian North Ossetia President Sergey Menyailo, Russian Kabardino-Balkaria President Kazbek Kokov, Stavropol Governor Vladimir Vladimirov, Karachay-Cherkessian Parliament Chair Alexander Ivanov, and Russian Federal Assembly Member Taimuraz Mamsurov.

Former and incumbent South Ossetian leaders who are members of the initiative group, as well as Russian authorities, addressed the audience during an initial campaign event held at Tskhinvali's Drama Theatre.

Anatoly Bibilov said during the gathering that South Ossetia is on the verge of a major historic event. "We're not just witnesses to it; we're here, right now, making history with you! South Ossetia will join Russia!" said Bibilov. "We need 2,000 signatures, but we'll receive a lot more than that. We must demonstrate to the rest of the world that the people of South Ossetia want Russian membership," he said.

North Ossetia's head Menyailo declared that both north and south Ossetians "have never sensed any borders between us."

Senator Alexander Karelin of Russia stressed the importance of the South Ossetians achieving an "anticipated outcome" in the upcoming referendum. "I can promise you that Russia will respond," he said.

"We will respect your choice, and your expression of will will be received at a worthy level," Kazbek Kokov, the head of Kabardino-Balkaria, told.

South Ossetian presidential candidate Alan Gagloev, the chairman of the opposition Nykhas party, said that the concept of the occupied area "joining" Russia is not in Moscow's favour at the present. "We watched with you that Georgia backed US sanctions on Russia from the moment the incumbent president (Anatoly Bibilov) announced the referendum," he stated. "That is, we perceive that the existing (South Ossetian) government's actions forced Georgia to once again move against Russia," Gagloev added. But, according to Gagloev, Russia's absorption of the territory is not Bibilov's initiative. "Our people have previously conducted a referendum on this multiple times, and we are extremely familiar with public opinion on this." The probable "accession" of occupied South Ossetia to Russia, according to Gagloev, "cannot be a unilateral choice. We are constantly watching Russia's posture, and as soon as our strategic ally, Russia, sends a signal, South Ossetia and its people are prepared to assist the Russian Federation and, if required, take a step forward."

"I believe the current Russian authorities, led by President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, are still preoccupied with other concerns, which I believe are more significant," Gagloev concluded.

Abkhazian public activists urged to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine

More than 20 residents of separatist Abkhazia, including journalists and representatives of non-governmental organisations, are calling for an end to the bloodshed in Ukraine.

"We, the inhabitants of Abkhazia, who survived the war thirty years ago, which lasted more than a year, call for an immediate stop to the bloodshed in Ukraine! The death of people on both sides only exacerbates the existing contradictions that must be resolved peacefully," the appeal said. The authors of the collective letter call "to sanity and responsibility of all who are able to stop the bloodshed and prevent a catastrophe on a truly global scale!"

In the self-proclaimed Abkhazia, the appeal was criticised. The Coordinating Union of Organizations of Russian Compatriots said the call was "too belated" and pointed to some "atrocities committed by the Kiev regime since 2014."

"We are for peace and against bloodshed, but we support the actions of the Russian army for denazification and demilitarisation, as we understand that retribution for crimes against humanity is inevitable by its nature," statement added. Nadezhda Venediktova, the author of the appeal, journalist and writer, commented on the negative reaction to the call to stop the bloodshed. First of all, her concern is related to the possible outbreak of a nuclear war, "which will turn the planet into a radioactive hell."

“The nuclear weapons accumulated on earth are more than enough to give everyone the full program. The global confrontation, growing almost every day, can lead to such a degree of bitterness that pressing the nuclear button will become almost inevitable,” she writes.

De-facto Abkhaz opposition on Union State with Russia

While Abkhazia should not become part of Russia, it should aspire to join the Union State of Russia and Belarus, according to separatist Abkhaz opposition leader Adgur Ardzinba.

"Abkhazia's membership in the Russian Federation is not on the table." According to Russian news site Gazeta.ru, Abkhazia should attempt to join the treaty "On construction of the union state" between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus in the future.

"This is especially true because, for many of the goals listed in the second article of this treaty, Russia has made far more progress with Abkhazia than with the Republic of Belarus," Ardzinba noted. Ardzinba chastised Bzhania for his statements on "sharing sovereignty" with Moscow during a major opposition rally against the de facto regime in Sukhumi in December 2021. "People who have found themselves in positions of power by happenstance nowadays have no understanding of the notion of sovereignty. They have no concept of how to manage a country," Ardzinba stated at the time.