Putin pedges massive military spending in Abkhazia

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Source: AP

MOSCOW — Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says the country will spend at least 15 billion rubles ($470 million) next year to build Russian military bases in Abkhazia and tighten the separatist Georgian region's borders.

Putin's pledge in an interview with Abkhazian media comes on Wednesday's anniversary of the cease-fire in last year's war with Georgia in which Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke from Georgian control.

Russia subsequently recognized both regions as independent, a move either denounced or ignored by almost all other countries. Putin's pledge on military spending underlines Russia's firm intention to keep the regions from being reintegrated with Georgia.

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