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Duma to consider ratification of agreement on Russian-Abkhazian united group of troops

The group is supposed to react adequately to an armed attack as well as to other threats to military security of either of the parties

MOSCOW, November 2 /TASS/. The Russian State Duma will consider the ratification of a president-submitted agreement for the creation of a Russian-Abkhazian united group of troops.

The document defining the purpose and envisaging the procedure of forming, deploying and using the united group of troops was signed in Moscow on November 21, 2015.

"The group is supposed to react adequately to an armed attack (aggression) as well as to other threats to military security of either of the parties," an explanatory note to the agreement said.

Decisions to organize and hold any joint actions will be based on joint directives issued by the Russian and Abkhazian General Staffs. The united group of troops includes a Russian military base deployed in Abkhazia; two separate Abkhazian motor-rifled battalions, artillery and aviation groups as well as a special operations unit.

An operational group, consisting of Russian and Abkhazian representatives, will be responsible for interaction of military units of the united group of troops in peacetime. The operational group will be headed by the Russian military base’s commander.

"In case of immediate aggression threat and also in wartime, the united group’s troops will be subordinate directly to the commander of the united group of troops to be appointed by the Russian Defense Ministry," the accompanying papers said.

At the same time, the Duma intends to ratify an agreement with Abkhazia on reciprocal legal assistance on criminal cases.

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