Shooting reported in Russian-occupied Abkhazia's local council; council member killed

A shooting in the "people assembly" building of Georgia's Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia left one person dead and another injured, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported on Dec. 19.

Vakhtang Golandzia, a member of the assembly that de facto serves as the occupied region's legislative body, was fatally shot, and his colleague Kan Kvarchia was injured, RFE/RL reported, citing local health authorities.

The suspected perpetrator, council member Adgur Kharazia, fled the crime scene, the Apsynpress news agency reported. Kvarchia has been hospitalized with a wound to his arm, according to local officials.

The Amra-life Telegram channel alleged that the council was discussing a bill on a mining ban. During the deliberations, Kharazia and Kvarchia got into an argument, after which Kharazia pulled out a gun and opened fire at Kvarchia, the channel wrote.

Golandzia was shot after supposedly attempting to intervene.

Russia has occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia after a war with Tbilisi in 2008, backing local breakaway leadership. Both regions are internationally recognized as Georgia's sovereign soil.