Ukrainians detained at the Georgian-Russian border let into Georgia
Ukrainians allowed into Georgia
Six Ukrainian citizens who had been staying in the buffer zone at the Upper Lars border checkpoint on the Georgian-Russian border since 17 August have been allowed into Georgia. According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, the health condition of one of them has become very complicated.
Five of the six are former prisoners from the Kherson region who were taken to Russia by Russian security forces during the retreat to serve their sentences. A sixth Ukrainian citizen entered Russia and ended up in a filtration camp, but has now been released and is trying to leave.
The story was originally reported by Russia’s Novaya Gazeta-Europe. On the night of 16-17 August, Georgian border guards prevented six Ukrainians from entering Georgia. Each of them was officially denied entry into the country, and it was explained by “other reasons.”
While human rights activists were helping the men stuck between the borders to get out, a thriller was unfolding in the three kilometres of the neutral zone between the Russian and Georgian checkpoints – Russian security forces were trying to kidnap the Ukrainians.
In the autumn of 2022, Russia, which was retreating from occupied Kherson, removed more than a thousand convicts from there. In most cases, these people were then sent to colonies in Krasnodar Krai, Rostov and Volgograd regions, where they were to serve their sentences imposed by a Ukrainian court.
Ukraine regards this fact as kidnapping and illegal deportation of people.
- From April to June, the Georgian border was most often crossed by citizens of Russia
- “There is a campaign against the European path in Georgia, but the people will not support it” – US Ambassador Kelly Degnan
Statement of the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
“The Georgian side immediately informed the Ukrainian embassy in Georgia regarding Ukrainian citizens at the Georgian border. The embassy explained that appropriate lengthy procedures were needed to resolve the issue from the Ukrainian side.
All this time the Georgian side was waiting for a relevant decision from the Ukrainian side.
Taking into account that the health condition of one of the Ukrainian citizens at the border deteriorated, the Georgian side decided to let the people enter the territory of Georgia, and they will wait here for the completion of the relevant procedures”.