Abkhazia's National Bank chief survives assassination attempt

SUKHUMI, October 28 (RIA Novosti) - The head of Abkhazia's National Bank survived an assassination attempt as he traveled to work on Wednesday morning, the former Georgian republic's interior minister said.

Otar Khetsiya said a grenade launcher was fired at the vehicle in which Illarion Argun was traveling as it drove through the Bambor residential area in Gudautsky District around 8:30 a.m. Moscow time (05:30 GMT). The bank's chief was not harmed.

"Every day, the governor of the National Bank travels to work from the city of Gagry to Sukhum. The assassination attempt was made on the central highway," an Interior Ministry source said.

Abkhazia declared independence last year following a brief war between Russia and Georgia sparked by the latter's attack on another separatist republic, South Ossetia. The situation remains tense in both republics, where Russia maintains a significant military presence.