Sultan Khazhirokov Awarded the Title of Honoured Artist of Abkhazia

SUKHUM / AQW'A — Singer and composer Sultan Khazhirokov from Kabardino-Balkaria has officially received the decree awarding him the honorary title of Honoured Artist of Abkhazia.

The decree was signed in February 2024 by former Abkhaz President Aslan Bzhania in recognition of Khazhirokov’s contribution to the development of popular music and to the promotion of the cultures of the peoples of the Caucasus.

The presentation ceremony took place at the Ministry of Culture of Abkhazia. The artist attended the event together with his wife Lana, his sons Timur and Artur, and his friend, the Abkhaz performer Akhra.

Addressing the artist, Minister of Culture Daur Kove emphasised the close ties between Khazhirokov and Abkhazia.

“Abkhazia is not a foreign place for you. It is your home, where your brothers and friends live. Every time you come here, our people receive you with great warmth and joy,” Kove said.

Khazhirokov responded by highlighting the special place Abkhazia holds for Kabardians.

“For me, as a Kabardian, Abkhazia is a place where our relatives became heroes,” he said.

Sultan Khazhirokov is an Honoured Artist of Kabardino-Balkaria and the frontman of the Russian musical group Sultan Uragan, founded in 1998. One of the band’s best-known songs is “Na Diskoteku” (“To the Disco”), recorded in collaboration with Murat Thagalegov.

The award reflects the enduring cultural ties between Abkhazia and the North Caucasus and recognises Khazhirokov’s role in strengthening those connections through music.