Putin's next annexation? Georgian separatist wants union with Russia – and Belarus. In doing so, he contradicts older statements from his government.
In 2016, the last survey asking residents of Abkhazia whether they wanted to become part of Russia - only 27 percent said yes. When Ardzinba made his grandiose announcement, the interim president of the Donetsk People's Republic, which is not internationally recognized, said: "This is a false promise of independence and a promise of false recognition"