Moscow said it was "concerned" about the assassination attempt on Abkhaz leader Alexander Ankvab, condemning it as an attempt to destabilize situation ahead of theparliamentary elections in the breakaway region planned for March 10.

"Obviously it is an attempt to destabilize the situation in the republic ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its website on February 22. "We hope that the organizers and perpetrators of this crime will be identified."

"The course of Abkhazia's peaceful and progress-oriented development, carried out by President Ankvab, enjoys with solid support in Russia. We are sure, that attempts to derail [Abkhazia] from this path are doomed for a failure," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.