PITSUNDA, Georgia (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Georgian breakaway region of Abkhazia on Tuesday, the Kremlin said.

Russia fought a short war with Georgia in 2008 over South Ossetia, another rebel region of the Caucasus nation. Russia is one of the few countries to recognize the independence of both South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Putin has visited Abkhazia twice before, in 2009 and 2013.