“The Georgian side should not be upset by its own reflection. All the reasons for Georgia’s weak progress towards EU membership lie in Tbilisi, not Kyiv.
As for Ukraine, we only wish the friendly Georgian people one thing: that they ultimately achieve their European aspirations, despite the policies of the current government.
Georgia is Europe, not the ‘Russian world’,” Sybiha wrote.
Ukraine’s foreign minister shared on social media an article from Liga.net titled “Georgia accuses Ukraine of allegedly blocking its EU membership,” which quotes Maka Bochorishvili, Georgia’s foreign minister from the Georgian Dream party.
“The process of Georgia’s integration into the European Union and its bid for candidate status was accompanied, in some ways, by negative actions from Ukraine – aimed at preventing Georgia from achieving this status. We saw firsthand the campaigns carried out in 2022–2023… Ukraine opposed Georgia’s EU integration in various forms. This happened openly, and we all know about it,” Bochorishvili told journalists.
According to the European Commission’s 2025 enlargement report, Georgia’s position in the EU integration process has deteriorated significantly over the past year. The report notes that government decisions have effectively stalled the country’s accession process.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said Georgia received the lowest final rating in the history of candidate countries.
Georgia’s Prosecutor’s Office announced on November 6 that it is filing charges against eight opposition leaders – ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili, Strategy Agmashenebeli‘s Giorgi Vashadze, Ahali’s Nika Gvaramia and Nika Melia, Girchi – More Freedom’s Zurab Girchi Japaridze, Droa‘s Elene Khoshtaria, and Lelo for Georgia’s Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze – over “crimes committed against the state.”
Prosecutors allege that the opposition members plotted sabotage, cooperated with foreign actors, and incited violent unrest after the disputed October 26, 2024 elections. The authorities also claim that they sought to provoke international sanctions and financed “violent groups” during protests that started on November 28, 2024. Prosecutors said that they would seek bail for Lelo’s Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, and that pre-trial hearings would be scheduled for the others, who are currently all in jail on different charges.
Civil.ge compiled initial reactions from across Georgia’s political spectrum.
Ruling Party
Kakha Kaladze, Tbilisi Mayor: “When you engage in political activity and represent your country, you must first protect the interests of your people and your nation. We can recall concrete examples when the interests of other countries were taken into account at the expense of trampling on our own national interests. It’s a very serious matter. What does retaliation against the opposition have to do with this?.. These people were running from office to office to prevent the signing of the Association Agreement and to block Georgia from receiving [EU] candidate status. They did everything anti-state and anti-Georgian. Therefore, there is no place and there will never be a place for such agents and individuals without homeland in Georgian politics.”
Archil Gorduladze, head of disputed Parliament’s Legal Issues Committee: “The facts voiced by the Prosecutor General are not new. The public is well aware of what the members of the collective United National Movement have done and, regrettably, continue to do today. This, of course, refers to attempts at sabotage and overthrow, as well as to making statements against the interests of our country.”
Davit Matikashvili, GD lawmaker:“They were calling for the country’s destruction – they were not asking for [just] sanctions; they demanded a rain of bombs, confrontation with Russia, and the death of the Georgian people. These forces, and by their actions they have caused so much damage to our country that there is truly nothing surprising about a demand that these people be held criminally accountable.
Opposition
Tina Bokuchava, UNM Chair:“The regime today declared that criticism of it, including criticism voiced with foreign partners, as well as any meeting, planned visit abroad, expression of opinion, and, in reality, any defense of our country’s national interests and the rights of Georgian citizens are crimes and are punishable by imprisonment by Ivanishvili’s Russian occupation regime. This is an open confirmation that Ivanishvili intends to establish a dictatorship in the country, where both political parties and expression of free thought will be banned.”
Mamuka Khazaradze, Lelo leader: “Bidzina Ivanishvili and the Russian Dream are in a very serious panic…No matter what you do in Georgia, you cannot stop freedom of speech, you cannot kill the political process. You may try very hard, but you will not be able to take democracy away from the Georgian people. The struggle will continue on our side within all lawful bounds. Even though we do not have a court or justice, we will continue this fight and we will not allow such absurdities the chance to fool people.”
Badri Japaridze, Lelo leader: “The government that is directly sabotaging our country and its European future now accuses us of sabotage…This is, of course, the Prosecutor’s Office carrying out a political order with the aim of destroying politicians and politics itself. But I believe that through this, Georgian Dream is only speeding up its own political burial, because the absurdity I heard, that we are accused of sabotage against the state, is a complete inversion of reality.”
Elene Khoshtaria, leader of Droa: “Many thanks to the Prosecutor’s Office for recognizing my work – I have always struggled with PR. Yes, I have been and will continue working intensively on sanctioning the ‘Russian Dream.’ Though you made one mistake: it is not just for the past year, but I have been working against Russia since 2002. Yes, I have always been and will remain very active in the protests. Go ahead and write, ask around, Russians – you will not survive anyway.”
Nika Gvaramia, Ahali chair: “I have ended up on the extremely honorable list of Georgian patriots and irreconcilable fighters!.. Georgian Dream, go on – push it to the end, conquer every peak of madness! This only renews our goal: your overthrow, which will mean a united, successful, European Georgia… The oligarchy must be overthrown! P.S. I will sabotage you, Georgian Dreamers.”
Giorgi Sharashidze, Gakharia for Georgia: “A lengthy prison sentence is also hanging over our party leader, Giorgi Gakharia, for defending Georgian lands… So, nothing surprises us coming from Georgian Dream. It is impossible to decipher their logic. What matters is the purpose this all serves, and that will soon become clear. There is a fairly reasonable opinion that this case may be yet another attempt to create an image of an enemy and a scarecrow from the United National Movement.”
Giorgi Kirtadze, member of Coalition for Change: “The regime has decided to bring cases against political leaders on serious charges…We all well understand that this is a response to the harsh conclusion of the European Commission on enlargement…We understand well that the regime is now trying to signal to the whole country and the world that there is no chance for change here. From their point of view, this should create a feeling of hopelessness among the Georgian people. But instead of hopelessness, I am convinced […] that this will produce greater motivation for the fight, and we will be able to create a united, strong, and democratic front.”
Salome Zurabishvili, fifth President of Georgia: “Russian handbook at work: new accusations leveled by the General Prosecutor against almost all opposition leaders. Sabotage, plotting to topple the government, serving foreign interests…carrying sentences up to 11 years. GD answers EU’s Report: “We don’t care.”
The ball is about to get rolling on the preparation and design of the concept for the fourth phase of Central Park, which is set to sprout up in the Yasamal district of Baku, Azernews reports.
Russian recruiters are targeting Georgians and other foreigners to fight against Ukraine, promising them vast rewards. The recruitment drive is intensifying as Russia suffers mounting military losses.
One website recruiting Georgians to fight in Ukraine on contract states: “Georgia has long been famed for its brave warriors and martial traditions. Today, citizens of this country have the chance to continue this proud history by taking part in an important mission.”
The “Strength of the Motherland” site offers Georgians a one-time payment of 2.5 million roubles (around $31,000) and a monthly salary of 210,000 roubles (about $2,600).
It also promises modern equipment, a full social package including pensions and benefits, and a simplified process for obtaining Russian citizenship for the whole family.
All this comes in exchange for signing a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defence. The generous offers are accompanied by images of soldiers, which experts believe are likely AI-generated.
The site “Strength of the Motherland” claims these are what Georgians fighting for Russia in Ukraine look like.
Similar recruitment appeals target citizens of other post-Soviet states, including Armenia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. The texts are almost identical: Armenia is praised for its “brave warriors,” Belarus for “disciplined and reliable military specialists,” and Uzbekistan for “hardworking and responsible people.” Only the images and the incentives offered to potential contract soldiers differ.
Recruiting network
“Strength of the Motherland” is not the only platform of its kind. Another site offers Georgians an annual salary of up to 5 million rubles (~$61,000). Otherwise, the promises and overall content are similar.
This site, however, contains no photographs. Instead, it features comments supposedly left by satisfied contract soldiers, such as Dato M., Avtandil T., and Zurab G.
So far we have identified at least eight such recruitment websites.
They target not only foreign citizens but also Russians and immigrants living in the country without legal status.
“No documents? We will help you! Trouble with the law? We will sort it out for you,”reads one platform.
Some sites let users choose the unit they want to join — from artillery to drone operator.
This is unlikely to be a provocation by Russia’s foreign intelligence or an attempt to destabilise neighbouring states.
In July, the Russian outlet Verstka carried out a major investigation into the recruitment market and found that successful recruiters earn tens of thousands of dollars a month.
After nearly four years of war, the Kremlin genuinely needs new soldiers, and for many of these sites recruitment is a way to make large commissions.
Georgians fighting on Russia’s side
Russian military losses in Ukraine are kept under strict secrecy. According to British intelligence, casualties exceed 1.1 million, including the wounded.
BBC Russian and Meduza have identified around 120,000 of those killed, and among them are hundreds of soldiers with Georgian surnames. Sixty-three of these were Georgian citizens. Their involvement often becomes known only after death or capture.
BBC reports that almost all soldiers with Georgian surnames lived in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia or South Ossetia.
Vazha Tsetsadze, who fought in the war, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that he has information about a Georgian unit fighting for Russia at the very start of hostilities. The unit included both Georgians who were Russian citizens and those who came from Georgia to serve under contract.
“Some are chasing money, some were influenced by propaganda, and some still consider Russia their savior,” Tsetsadze said. He fought for Ukraine and was sentenced in absentia by Russia to 25 years in a high-security prison.
Open sources indicate that Georgians fighting for Russia fall into four groups:
Conscripts from Abkhazia and South Ossetia
Georgians born in Russia
Former prisoners fighting with the Wagner Group
Immigrants in Russia recruited in exchange for citizenship
Mamuka Mamulashvili, commander of Ukraine’s Georgian Legion, says Moscow deliberately promotes these cases to measure the impact of its propaganda in Georgia:
“Russia is trying to create a symbolic ‘Georgian unit’ for its own purposes,” he said.
The Georgian Legion unites 700–1,000 Georgian and foreign volunteers who have fought with Ukraine’s armed forces since 2016. In May 2024, Russia’s Federal Security Service declared the Georgian Legion a terrorist organisation.
Wages are rising
In most Russian regions, local authorities are paying recruiters large sums.
In Ryazan region, in western Russia, a bonus for signing up one new recruit ranges from 50,000 to 500,000 roubles (~$615–$6,100). Recruiting a local resident earns $615, a citizen of another CIS country $861, and recruits from other countries, including Georgia, can earn around $6,000.
However, compared with other regions, these amounts are still relatively modest. Over the past few weeks, eight Russian regions have sharply increased bonuses for recruiters, according to the analytical project ReRussia.
A year ago, the average bonus for a recruit in Russia’s 24 largest regions was 1.2 million roubles (~$14,800). Today it stands at 2.1 million (~$26,000).
According to various sources, in the first nine months of 2025, the Russian Ministry of Defence signed contracts with roughly 330,000 people – about 35,000 per month. For comparison, Ukraine recruited around 200,000 new soldiers in 2024.
The Russian army is significantly larger than Ukraine’s, but its losses are also higher. Research group Frontelligenceestimates that in 2025 Russia lost 8,400–10,500 service members per month.
Russia has struggled to achieve major gains on the front for months. ReRussia suggests that to maintain military operations, the Kremlin needs 45,000 new soldiers each month, requiring either a new mobilisation or increased spending to recruit contract troops from abroad.
