Moscow Calling – October 25-31

This roundup covers the main developments concerning relations between Russia and Georgia, and provides an update on the state of affairs in Russia-occupied territories. It also gives a brief account of Georgian affairs as reflected in Russia’s propaganda machinery.

Key Developments

Lavrov pledges resistance. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, responding to questions after the Minsk International Conference on Eurasian security, said NATO and the EU are “constructing their own structures of interaction” with Central Asia and the South Caucasus, which are used “for tearing these countries off the Russian Federation.” Lavrov stressed that “we will be rooting out these tendencies using all available means – diplomatic, political, economic.”

Georgian Fighter Charged. Russian authorities charged Giorgi Partsvania, a 35-year-old Georgian national fighting for Ukraine in 2014-2017, the Moscow prosecutor’s office said on October 28. He allegedly returned to Ukraine in late February 2022, again joined a paramilitary unit, and took part in “hostilities” against the Russian military until September 2025.

Russian Oil Comes to Georgia. Russian oil company Russneft supplied the first oil shipment in October to Georgia’s newly built Kulevi refinery on the Black Sea coast, Reuters reported on October 21. Citing LSEG ship-tracking data and industry sources, the agency said, “The tanker Kayseri delivered 105,340 metric tons of Siberian Light oil grade from the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk to the Kulevi Oil Terminal on October 6.” The Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia also stated that “the Panama-flagged vessel […] is not under international sanctions and does not appear on any list of companies associated with sanctioned entities.”

NSC Official Lists Georgia Among “Like-minded”. Aleksey Shevtsov, Deputy Secretary of the National Security Council, told the forum “Peoples of Russia” that Russia has “many allies” as “the guardian and protector of the traditional spiritual and moral values.” He listed Georgia among those “like-minded nations,” saying that “in Georgia, the authorities found the possibility and forces to repel the attacks on traditional mores, attempts to instill the pseudo-values uncharacteristic to the Caucasian peoples.”

Sokhumi Airport Stops for Winter. Sokhumi Airport, which received its first flight from Russia in February after a 32-year hiatus, ceased operations as of October 25. Officially, the flights are paused due to “seasonality of demand”, Radio Free Europe reported, meaning that there are no passengers wishing to fly to the region off-season. Local official sources report that 20 flights have been held since February, serving 118 passengers, which is approximately eight times lower than the initial estimates. The reconstruction was funded by Russia, and the airport, which lacks the required international flight licence, only serves flights from Russia.

Abkhaz Leader Scolded. A group of influential civic and political organizations has asked the leader of the occupation authorities in Abkhazia, Badra Gunba, to  “start the process of purging the state apparatus from compromised individuals, who are undermining the trust of society towards the authorities.” The request concerns one Lasha Sakania, who was appointed as the special representative of Gunba to CIS and BRICS countries. Sakania, who served as aide to Abkhazia’s previous “president,” Aslan Bzhania, was forced to resign in August 2020 after leaders of Georgia’s Kremlin-friendly Alliance of Patriots visited the region. Later, Sakania was reportedly also implicated in illegal crypto-mining.

Distorted Reflection: Russian Propaganda about Georgia

The last week of October saw Russian propaganda covering Georgia quite actively. Seen through the Kremlin’s prism, Georgia is a place where internal contradictions are compounded by external pressure from the West. The main stories that caught the attention of Russian propagandists were the accusations against the former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Tbilisi’s refusal to participate in European structures, and plans to ban the pro-Western opposition parties. The Russian reports took the angle of Georgia protecting, and the West encroaching, on ‘sovereignty,’ and criticised Brussels ‘double standards.’ It was also stressed that Georgia is “returning to a genuinely independent policy.” This fused into a narrative of “Tbilisi choosing independence.”

Quote of the Week

Leading the News: Charges against ex-PM Irakli Garibashvili

“Cleansing of the political field” and, at the same time, as a signal of “strengthening the vertical of power”- phrases that were describing the news of the money laundering charges being brought against ex-PM Garibashvili tell the trained ear of a Russian citizen on a propaganda diet that the Kremlin is talking about “a country like ours,” in other words, a potential ally. Not yet fully though: the TASS agency called the case ‘high-profile’ and noted its political undertones. According to Interfax, in Georgia, ‘criminal cases are increasingly being used as a tool in the internal struggle between elites.’ Lenta.ru added that the ‘Garibashvili case’ symbolises the growing pressure on former officials to come clean.

European meddling and Georgian resilience

Continuing protests in Tbilisi prompted Sergei Markov, an RT commentator, to say that “the rallies in Tbilisi are a way of putting pressure on the authorities since they do not want to listen to Brussels.’ The overall line on popular protest remains unchanged – it is both inspired and controlled by external forces. To convince its readers, the Kremlin outlets point to the protesters waving the European Union flags. Relatively neutral in tone, Izvestia reported on October 26 that the demonstrations by “radical opposition” were held ‘under the slogans of European integration and in protest against the government’s policies.’ In a video report, the emphasis was placed on the support for the rallies from Western foundations.

Tbilisi’s decision to skip the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Yerevan was duly noted. RT called this move a ‘declaration of political independence,’ while Vesti.ru emphasised that ‘Georgia is tired of the European Parliament’s lectures.’ According to RBC, the decision was made against the backdrop of cooling relations between Tbilisi and Brussels. In comments by Russian experts, this move was seen as ‘a conscious distancing from Western institutions’ and ‘an attempt to build a more independent position.’

Ban on opposition parties

One of the most discussed topics is the Georgian authorities’ initiative to ban three pro-Western parties. According to RT, the Georgian president supported this idea, calling it ‘a necessary measure to protect the state.’ Lenta.ru wrote that the authorities were ‘trying to restore order and limit the influence of structures financed from abroad.’ Interfax reported on the EU’s reaction, which described Tbilisi’s actions as ‘anti-democratic.’ Russian publications interpreted these statements as a manifestation of Western hypocrisy. Political scientist Vladimir Kornilov explained the European criticism towards the Georgian ruling party’s decision thus: “The West is afraid of losing Georgia because its example shows others that it is possible to live without instructions from Brussels.”

Bitesize

• Mikheil Saakashvili remains the bête noire for the Russian propaganda media. The announced inquest by the Georgian Prosecutor General’s Office against Saakashvili’s mother for the ‘misappropriation on a particularly large scale’ of property belonging to the Georgian Technical University garnered considerable coverage (Interfax.ru) and was hailed as a symptom of the ‘implosion of the former elite’ (vesti.ru).
• The return of For Georgia party MPs to parliament after a year-long boycott was covered by Interfax.
• Shalva Papuashvili’s spat with the European Union ambassador was covered by Vzglyad. The article pointed out that the EU Ambassador criticized Georgia for passing anti-LGBT propaganda laws.
• RIA Novosti reported that Russian prosecutors put Giorgi Partsvania, a ‘mercenary from Georgia’ participating in hostilities on the side of Ukraine (ria.ru).
• Interfax and Lenta.ru reported (here and here) that three Chinese citizens were detained for trying to purchase two kilograms of Uranium and transport it through Russia. The coverage emphasized the importance of Russian-Georgian cooperation in the field of security.