Former Georgian prosecutor general becomes commander of Russian military unit
Former Georgian prosecutor general Otar Partskhaladze, who now lives in Russia and is known as Otar Romanov-Partskhaladze, will lead an international military unit formed to take part in the war against Ukraine.
Russia’s state-run news agency TASS reported this on 7 September, citing Partskhaladze himself.
TASS describes Partskhaladze as a “veteran of the special military operation”. In an interview with the agency, he linked the creation of the unit to the Second World War and relations between the Russian and Georgian peoples.
“It was Russian Mikhail Yegorov and Georgian Meliton Kantaria who raised the Victory Banner over the Reichstag in 1945. One in four of my compatriots fought for freedom. I am certain that, as then, the symbol of the enemy’s defeat will once again be raised by a Russian and a Georgian.
“Our like-minded supporters, who advocate uniting our peoples and countries and defending traditional family values, have formed the international ‘St George’ unit,” the former prosecutor told TASS.
Partskhaladze explained that the unit’s name refers to the 1783 Treaty of Georgievsk, which he says played an important role in the history of the Georgian people. The treaty brought the eastern Georgian kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti under the protection of the Russian Empire.
Partskhaladze also says the new unit’s main task is “to finish the fight against the evil that threatens not only us, but the whole world”.
The former prosecutor says he decided to fight on Russia’s side and has helped Russian troops and people in the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, as well as in Russia’s Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod regions, with his team since the start of the “special military operation”.
“Today, as Russia fights Western pressure to preserve its identity, traditions, language and culture, I am ready to help my homeland achieve all the goals set by its leader,” TASS quoted Otar Partskhaladze as saying.
Who is Otar Partskhaladze?
Otar Partskhaladze became Georgia’s prosecutor general in November 2013, after the current ruling Georgian Dream party came to power. But he remained in the post for just 47 days and resigned on 30 December that year.
His resignation followed a scandal over his criminal conviction for theft in Germany. Partskhaladze confirmed that he had been convicted, but claimed that the case concerned resisting police rather than theft.
After leaving the prosecutor general’s office, Partskhaladze moved into business. For many years, however, he was considered an influential figure close to the inner circle of ruling party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili. Ivanishvili himself has said that Partskhaladze is a close friend of his son, Bera Ivanishvili. Bera Ivanishvili is the godfather of Partskhaladze’s grandson.
In 2017, Partskhaladze was accused of assaulting Lasha Tordia, who was then head of Georgia’s State Audit Office. Tordia linked the attack to an investigation by the Audit Office into ties between Tbilisi City Hall and a company owned by Partskhaladze. In 2021, the Tbilisi City Court acquitted Partskhaladze in the case.
Partskhaladze later obtained Russian citizenship and has lived in Russia in recent years.
He subsequently changed his surname to Partskhaladze-Romanov. According to information JAMnews obtained from open sources, he also has business interests in Russia.
In September 2023, the US imposed sanctions on Partskhaladze. According to the US State Department, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) worked with Partskhaladze to influence Georgian society and politics in favour of Russia. The State Department says Partskhaladze worked with FSB officer Alexander Onishchenko, who also helped him obtain Russian citizenship.
After the sanctions were imposed, Georgian banks initially froze Partskhaladze’s accounts. However, after Georgian Dream leaders criticised the decision, the National Bank of Georgia changed its rules on implementing sanctions and restored Partskhaladze’s access to his accounts.
In October 2023, then-Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili stripped Partskhaladze of his Georgian citizenship.
In 2025, the UK also sanctioned Partskhaladze for supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Partskhaladze is currently a defendant in a criminal case in Georgia. In December 2025, the Interior Ministry named him as the organiser of the killing of businessman Levan Dzhangveladze. According to the ministry’s account, Partskhaladze led an organised criminal group and ordered the murder of Dzhangveladze. He was charged in absentia and placed on an international wanted list.
As it turns out, none of this has stopped Russia’s state-run news agency from interviewing him.
Otar Partskhaladze to lead a military unit
