The Agreement and the attached Provisions set out the purpose of and the procedure for creating, deploying and using the Russian-Abkhazian Joint Group of Armed Forces.
The Joint Group is to provide an adequate response to an armed attack (aggression) and other military security threats against either party.
The organisation and conduct of joint exercises is carried out on the basis of joint directives from the parties’ armed forces general staffs.
The Joint Group of Armed Forces is composed of the joint Russian military base stationed on Abkhazian territory, as Russia’s component, and two motorised rifle battalions, an artillery group and an aviation group, as well as a separate special forces detachment as Abkhazia’s component.
Decisions to deploy the joint group are taken by the Russian and Abkhazian defence ministries. The procedure for the group’s deployment is set out in the plan for its use prepared by the Russian and Abkhazian defence ministries.
The decision to use the Joint Group of Armed Forces is made by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Federation and the Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Abkhazia.
The Agreement has been concluded for the duration of the Agreement on Alliance and Strategic Partnership between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Abkhazia signed on November 24, 2014 (a 10-year period), with the possibility of automatic extension for subsequent five-year periods.