Alexander Ankvab

Prime Minister of Abkhazia

26 December 1952 Sukhumi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union

-

Incumbent

Aleksandr Zolotinskovich Ankvab (/ˈ ɑː ŋ k v ɑː b / ( listen ) AHNK -vahb; Abkhazian: Алықьсандр Золотинска-иԥа Анқәаб , Georgian: ალექსანდრე ზოლოტინსკის ძე ანქვაბი , Russian: Алекса́ндр Золоти́нскович Анква́б ; born 26 December 1952) is an Abkhaz politician and businessman who was President of Abkhazia from 29 May 2011, until his resignation on 1 June 2014. Under President Sergei Bagapsh, he previously served as Prime Minister from 2005 to 2010 and Vice-President from 2010 to 2011. He was appointed Prime Minister again on 23 April 2020. In the 4 October 2004 presidential election, Ankvab supported Bagapsh's candidacy following his own exclusion by the Central Election Commission; he was subsequently appointed as Prime Minister by Bagapsh in February 2005. Ankvab was appointed acting President of Abkhazia after President Bagapsh underwent an operation on 21 May 2011. Following the operation, Bagapsh died on 29 May 2011 and Ankvab served as Acting President until winning election in his own right later in 2011. Ankvab survived six attempts on his life from 2005 to 2012, last time as a president on 22 February 2012, when his convoy was ambushed in Abkhazia, killing two of his guards. On 27 May 2014, Ankvab's headquarters in Sukhumi were stormed by opposition groups led by Raul Khadjimba, forcing him into flight to Gudauta in what Ankvab denounced as an "armed coup attempt". The Abkhaz parliament declared Ankvab "unable" to exercise his presidential powers on 31 May 2014, and Ankvab resigned the next day.