Ruling party MP hails State Security Service after seizure of explosives allegedly sent from Ukraine

Aleksandre Tabatadze, the First Deputy Chairman of the Defence and Security Committee in the Georgian Parliament from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday hailed the State Security Service for having countered “serious threats” to the country following the seizure of explosives allegedly targeted for transportation from Ukraine to Russia via Georgia. 

Claiming the efforts marked “yet another successful special operation” conducted by the agency, the lawmaker stressed the “timely execution” of operational, search and investigative actions within the country had been “crucial” in upholding political stability. 

Terrorism seeks to disrupt the nation's secure environment, erode citizens' trust in the Government, and create openings for hostile forces to foment political unrest. A thorough analysis of these events is imperative, shedding light on the crucial role of the State Security Service in not only safeguarding security but also ensuring political stability in Georgia”, Tabatadze said. 

The Georgian State Security Service on Monday said it had seized several units of special explosive devices and a “significant quantity” of explosive material allegedly originating from the Ukrainian city of Odesa and intended for transportation to Russia. 

It also named Andrey Sharashidze, a Ukrainian citizen of Georgian origin and former candidate for the Deputy of the Kyiv district of Odesa from the Servant of the People party, as an alleged organiser of the scheme, also noting seven Georgian citizens, three Ukrainian nationals and two Armenian citizens were involved in the smuggling and transportation of the devices within Georgia.

The agency alleged the details of the case and the factual situation “raised suspicions” that the involvement of Georgian citizens and the use of Georgian territory could have been “orchestrated” to shift blame for the allegedly planned potential terrorist acts onto the country.