Foreign Ministry rejects media reports on Ukrainian citizens stranded in Russia-Georgia border zone

Georgia’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday rejected media reports that alleged a group of citizens of Ukraine was stranded in the buffer zone of the Lars checkpoint on the Russia-Georgia border without food and basic necessities.

The Ministry called the reports by Georgian TV channels earlier during the day - which said six Ukrainian nationals were stranded in the zone after being “expelled” from Russia - “baseless”. 

It said the Georgian authorities were assisting the Ukrainian diplomatic mission in the country in facilitating the transfer of the individuals to Ukraine, and added Oleksandr Shulha, the Ukrainian Chargé d'affaires, had explained the group had been released after serving their sentences in a detention facility in Russia.

The body also said the diplomat had said the group had “internal Ukrainian passports” but needed to be identified and have permits from relevant Ukrainian authorities, “which requires additional time”.

The Ministry noted the official had thanked the Georgian side for cooperation in the case and noted the “good practice” of cooperation with relevant Georgian agencies.