Day: June 9, 2025

Abkhazia official accused of assault

The head of the Gagra district administration in Abkhazia, Yuri Khagush, has assaulted a local official, Timur Bigvava.

The incident took place on 5 June in Khagush’s office. According to the Telegram channel Aiashara, the conflict erupted after Khagush attempted to dismiss Bigvava.

As the argument escalated, Khagush’s security guards rushed into the office and joined him in beating Bigvava.

Shortly afterwards, relatives and friends of Bigvava gathered outside the district administration building, blocking the entrance and demanding an explanation from the head of the district. However, Khagush was no longer in the building, and his whereabouts have since remained unknown. Some believe he may have left Abkhazia.

The press office of the Gagra district administration denied reports of the conflict and the beating — just as it did earlier this year in March, when Yuri Khagush got into an altercation with a Russian tourist, Konstantin Belozerov. In other words, this is not the first such incident involving Yuri Khagush and associates.

Russian tourist shot in Abkhazia over bare torso – why are local authorities covering it up?

Social media claims high-ranking official involved in shooting of Russian tourist in Abkhazia

That incident took place on 13 March at the “Amore” café in Gagra. Khagush reportedly took issue with Russian tourist Konstantin Belozerov sitting at a table shirtless and confronted him about it. Words were exchanged, a fight broke out, someone drew a pistol, and it ended with Belozerov being hospitalised with a gunshot wound to the leg.

The district administration tried to pass it off as an accident, claiming the Russian had impaled himself on a metal rod at the beach. Few believed this version — especially the doctors, who had no difficulty identifying the injury as a gunshot wound. Nevertheless, Khagush managed to avoid any legal consequences at the time.

Moreover, in February 2025, in the run-up to the presidential election, Yuri Khagush was accused of organising — and personally taking part in — an attack on an opposition supporter.

Abkhaz mayor accused of assaulting opposition campaigner

Mayor Yuri Khagush is a staunch supporter of the ruling party’s presidential candidate.

Terms, place names, opinions and ideas suggested by the author of the publication are their own and do not necessarily coincide with the opinions and ideas of JAMnews or its individual employees. JAMnews reserves the right to remove comments on posts that are deemed offensive, threatening, violent or otherwise ethically unacceptable.