Russian energy company delegation visits Georgia, despite director being under sanctions
Russian energy company visits Georgia
A delegation from the Russian state energy company Rosseti, headed by its CEO Andrey Ryumin — who is under Western sanctions — paid a working visit to Georgia. Ryumin and other delegation members held meetings with representatives of Georgian energy companies and the Ministry of Economy.
Ryumin, who led the delegation, is considered a businessman close to Russian President Vladimir Putin — a connection that led to him being sanctioned by the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ukraine.
According to a statement issued following the visit, Ryumin met with the leadership of Georgia’s largest energy company, SAKRUSENERGO — a joint venture 50% owned by Rosseti and 50% by the Georgian government. Discussions focused on network reliability, current performance indicators, and investment plans. The results of the company’s production and financial activities in 2024 were also reviewed.
Founded in 1996, SAKRUSENERGO operates high-voltage power lines (500, 330, and 220 kV), including those linking Russia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey.
The meetings also covered ongoing and future investment projects. During talks at the Ministry of Economy, participants discussed the prospects of implementing joint initiatives related to the modernisation and construction of electricity infrastructure.
Notably, the Georgian side did not publicly disclose the visit or any details of the meetings. All available information has come exclusively from the Russian side.
Who is Andrey Ryumin?
Andrey Ryumin was added to the EU sanctions list on 15 March 2022. He is described as a leading businessman in a key sector of the Russian economy and reportedly attended an “oligarch meeting” with Vladimir Putin on 24 February 2022 — an act seen as endorsing policies that undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty. As part of the EU sanctions, Ryumin’s and Rosseti’s assets in the EU were frozen, all transactions with them were banned, and Ryumin himself was barred from entering EU countries.
The United Kingdom placed Ryumin on its sanctions list on the same day, 15 March 2022. His assets in the UK were frozen, UK individuals and entities were prohibited from doing business with him, and he was banned from entering the country.
Switzerland aligned with the EU and imposed sanctions against Ryumin on 16 March 2022.
Canada followed suit on 18 May 2022, citing Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and stating that the move targeted “oligarchs and their enablers.”
