Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh said on May 15, that the breakaway region’s railway and airport would be transferred to Russia with management rights for ten years.

“It does not mean sale of the railway; it is a temporary transfer of management [rights],” Abkhaz news agency, Apsnipress, reported quoting Bagapsh on May 15.

He said that he had made the proposal at a meeting with Russia’s Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, in Sochi on May 14. Bagapsh also said that the Russian Railway would allocated 2 billion rubles for repair works on the Abkhaz railway.

Interfax news agency reported quoting Bagapsh that Abkhazia would also hand over management rights of an airport outside Sokhumi. “It also will be a temporary transfer of management,” Bagapsh said.

Also on May 15, Interfax reported quoting Bagapsh that only 1,700 Russian servicemen would remain in Abkhazia instead of initially planned 3,800.

The Russian military, however, denied it. “No orders have been given to reduce number of personnel in Abkhazia,” Interfax reported quoting unnamed source from the Russian general staff of the armed forces.