SSSG Says Arms Cache Found, Links to October 4 Unrest, Ukraine
The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) announced on October 5 that it had traced “large quantities” of firearms, ammunition, and explosives with a detonator, alleging they were intended for “subversive acts” during the October 4 unrest in Tbilisi and linking them to a “military unit” in Ukraine.
The agency said the arms were discovered in a “special hiding place” in a forest near Tbilisi, releasing footage of officers digging out large packages from the ground at night. Officials added that they will be launching a search for the suspect, a Georgian citizen identified by the initials B. Tch.
Citing “numerous pieces of evidence,” the agency alleged that B. Tch. had purchased large quantities of firearms, ammunition, and explosives “on the instructions of a Georgian representative of a military unit active in Ukraine.” According to the SSSG, the materials were intended for “subversive acts parallel to the organized group violence and the attempted seizure of the presidential palace in Tbilisi on October 4.”
The SSSG said it had “neutralized the circle of persons” who had “presumably” been planning to transport the arms and explosives to downtown Tbilisi. Officials added that a phone seized from B. Tch.’s home contained video recordings “in which “B. Tch. is showing” to an individual, so far unidentified by the investigation, the firearms and ammunition he had purchased, and “sort of reporting back” to him.
The agency said it also identified and brought to the SSSG an individual who, at B. Tch.’s order, manufactured a remote control device for a detonator. The investigation is ongoing under Article 236-3 of the Criminal Code, which covers the illegal purchase or storage of firearms, ammunition, and explosives. The SSSG added that efforts are continuing to identify others involved in the case.
The announcement comes a day after election-day tensions in downtown Tbilisi, when, following calls from mass rally organizers, a group of protesters attempted to occupy the presidential palace. Police repelled and dispersed the crowd, later arresting five rally organizers and vowing to identify and apprehend others. Georgian Dream officials described the events as a foreign-orchestrated coup attempt and pledged a harsh response.
Georgian security services have referenced Ukraine in connection with the October 4 rally before, notably weeks earlier, when they arrested two Ukrainians, alleging they had brought powerful explosives into the country on instructions from Kyiv.
Also Read:
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- 18/09/2025 – Ukraine’s Embassy Denies Receiving Notice on Detained Citizens, SSSG Disputes