SUKHUM, January 10. /TASS/. Abkhazia’s special services are verifying reports about possible participation of citizens of other countries in the protests in Sukhum. It is not ruled out that there are Ukrainian nationals among them, Secretary of the Abkhazian Security Service Mukhamed Kilba told TASS on Friday.

"We have such information. It is being verified," he said, adding that Ukrainian nationals are among such foreigners. "Corresponding services are verifying these reports."

He said that Georgian nationals could also be involved in the protests.

A political crisis erupted in Abkhazia on January 9 when protesters broke into the presidential administration building demanding resignation of President Raul Khadjimba. The president convened an emergency meeting of the country’s Security Council and said after it that a state of emergency could be imposed in the country. Abkhazia’s parliament gathered for an extraordinary session on the same day and issued an appeal to the president calling on him to step down. In response, Khadjimba invited the opposition to negotiate.