Day: February 22, 2026

De facto authorities of the occupied Tskhinvali/South Ossetia region have unveiled a new batch of drones, raising alarms among some Georgian experts that they can be used to hit targets in Tbilisi-controlled territory.

On February 20, RES, a media outlet run by local de facto authorities, reported that Tskhinvali leader Alan Gagloev gave the “defense ministry” a batch of “modern unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs] aimed at strengthening national security.”

The handover took place during a ceremony to mark “the 33rd anniversary of the Republic’s Defense Ministry and Defender of the Fatherland Day.” The media reports did not specify the origin or type of the UAVs, but cited Gagloev as saying that the drones “will allow our units to more quickly carry out the assigned tasks, improve surveillance systems, and protect the Republic’s borders.”

Based on the images from the handover ceremony, Georgian weapons expert Giga Inashvili said the UAVs are Russia-manufactured Kamikaze FPV drones equipped with a 20–25 km fiber-optic cable and 10-inch propellers. “Such a drone, together with a spool of fiber-optic cable, can carry a single cumulative or fragmentation charge weighing up to 2 kg,” Inashvili wrote.

The information led to concerns among observers in Tbilisi who fear the drones can expand Tskhinvali’s capacity to hit precise targets in Georgia proper.

Lasha Dzebisashvili, a Georgian political expert, said that drones may pose a threat of “guaranteed destruction” for any transport vehicle or facility within a 20-25 km range, and may be used to target Georgia’s central highway, several municipalities under Georgian control, Gori military base, as well as units and bases of the Interior Ministry’s Special Tasks Department.

It also means that “strategic infrastructure facilities such as power transmission lines, water pumping stations, and gas and oil transit infrastructure are under the threat of being destroyed with pinpoint precision,” Dzebisashvili wrote on Facebook.

However, Inashvili later wrote that the alarms are exaggerated, “especially against the backdrop that, after the war, the [Tskhinvali] region has two battalions of BM-21 Grad systems, one battery of 9P140 Uragan, and one battery of 9K58 Smerch deployed.” He also noted that Tskhinvali has, in fact, possessed FPV drones for several years.

The unveiling of drones comes weeks after Tskhinvali also reported receiving from Moscow “the largest batch in recent years of modern weapons, military and special equipment,” comprising more than 40 units.

Also Read:

• 22/02/2026 – Illegally Detained Georgian Citizen Released from Tskhinvali Custody
• 13/11/2025 – 65th Round of Geneva International Discussions

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