Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said that authorities are working to reopen disrupted routes across the Caucasus. As part of this effort, officials are considering the restoration of rail connections between Russia and Georgia via Abkhazia.
He did not clarify whether Moscow had informed Tbilisi about the proposal. However, he stressed that Russia expects constructive cooperation among all regional states in order to strengthen transport and logistics ties.
A railway linking Russia and Georgia through Abkhazia operated during the Soviet period. It connected Sochi and Tbilisi via Sukhumi and Poti. After the war in Abkhazia in the early 1990s, both passenger and freight traffic stopped. Since then, the line has fallen into disrepair.
In recent years, Russian officials have repeatedly mentioned plans to rebuild the railway. Meanwhile, media outlets have reported that the Georgian Dream government has held secret talks with Moscow on the issue. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has denied those claims.
At the same time, Tbilisi has consistently stated that it will only consider transport projects through the occupied territories within the framework of restoring Georgia’s territorial integrity.