September 6, 2025 - The South Caucasus News - SouthCaucasusNews.com

A group of pro-Kremlin Georgians met with Denis Pushilin, the head of the occupation authorities in Ukraine’s Donetsk region. Pushilin reported the meeting on Telegram on September 5 as a meeting “with like-minded colleagues from Georgia.”

According to the post, the delegation included Mamuka Pipia, international secretary of the pro-Kremlin Solidarity for Peace party; Giorgi Irimadze, a member of that party’s political council; and Nikoloz Mzhavanadze, founder of Georgia’s Russian-language and pro-Russia channel Sezoni TV. Also present was Paata Abuladze, whom Pushilin identified as a “member of the Georgian Dream.”

Georgian media reports that Abuladze is related to Georgian Dream Secretary General Kakha Kaladze, being the husband of Kaladze’s step-sister.

A cordial meeting

“It was pleasant to hear words of support for the residents of our region from the guests from Georgia, and their wishes for the speedy liberation of the entire territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic,” Pushilin wrote in a Telegram post. “They also spoke about how, as in Ukraine, Georgia is being destabilized from the outside, with crude interference in the country’s internal affairs,” he added.

“The guests noted that the shared memory of the Great Victory,” he continued, referring to the Soviet Union’s May 9 victory in World War II, “and our common Orthodox faith, as well as friendship with Russia, are important to them,” adding, “We are focused on mutually beneficial cooperation across a whole range of areas, as there is plenty of common ground.”

In the video of the meeting that accompanied Pushilin’s Telegram post, Abuladze says “the only thing left is to restore diplomatic relations” between Georgia and Russia, arguing, “This needs to be done as soon as possible.” Mzhavanadze is also heard telling Pushilin that “the entire Georgian people support you in this difficult moment” and that Georgia “would not have existed” without Russia.

In turn, Pushilin asked Abuladze to transfer “to his government” a list of the Georgians who fight on the Ukrainian side, and requested “to deal with them according to the Georgian legislation.”

Who is Paata Abuladze, and who does he represent?

Paata Abuladze is the brother-in-law of Kakha Kaladze, the Tbilisi Mayor and Secretary General of the Georgian Dream party. Although Pushilin referred to Abuladze as a member of the Georgian Dream party, it remains unclear whether he formally belongs to the ruling party. There are photos of Abuladze posing with Kaladze and former GD PM Irakli Garibashvili on social media, wearing a GD campaign t-shirt.

“We are currently in Russia, Donetsk,” Abuladze told TV Pirveli on September 5, referring to Ukrainian territory under Moscow’s occupation as Russian. He said their visit was “in the context of strengthening Georgia-Russia relations.” Clearly irritated by the call, he retorted, “Why are you after me?” and added, ïf you wonder if the Georgian Dream sent me […] no, they don’t know where I am. They will probably find out now.”

Abuladze’s sons are also reportedly fighting in the war on the Russian side, which he seemed to confirm by saying, “I am now going to see my sons; there is no network where they are.”

When asked to comment on his relative’s visit to Donetsk, Kaladze, visibly irritated, hit back, calling the TV channel “filthy”. “He is not my family member,” Kaladze said of Abuladze. “I don’t want to talk about all of this. Do not cross the red line. I warn you […] I am telling you humanly, that it is you who will come to harm,” he menaced the journalist.

We have requested clarification from the Georgian Dream press office regarding Abuladze’s party membership and will update this article accordingly if we receive a response.

Lobbying to restore Georgia-Russia diplomatic ties

Restoring diplomatic ties between Georgia and Russia – which Tbilisi cut in 2008 after the August war – could have been among the issues discussed in Donetsk, as Solidarity for Peace, represented by two members at the meeting, actively campaigns for it.

Some of those who appeared in Donetsk had gathered on May 7 in Tbilisi with a wider pro-Kremlin group of Georgians in a meeting that Pipia chaired and ABuladze also attended. They reportedly launched a collection of signatures calling for the restoration of diplomatic relations between Georgia and Russia.

Others present included Pridon Injia, father of GD MP Ilia Injia, and Nana Kakabadze, co-founder of United Neutral Georgia, another pro-Russian outfit that often echoes Georgian Dream narratives.

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