Georgia finally lets in 6 Ukrainians after 10 days on Russian-Georgian border

After a 10-day stay in the neutral zone on the Russia-Georgia border, Georgian officials finally let in six Ukrainian men seeking asylum, the human rights organization UnMode reported on August 27.

The six Ukrainians arrived at the Georgia border on Aug. 16 requesting political asylum. Their group included five former prisoners that Russian authorities had previously deported from occupied Kherson Oblast, The Kyiv Independent reports.

Despite the fact that the asylum-seekers had all the necessary documents, the Georgian border guards refused to grant them entry, citing "other reasons,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported on August 24.

They were forced to spend 10 days in the buffer zone between Russia and Georgia.

"They get sunburned during the day, cold at night and sleep on the ground," UnMode said on August 19. "The lack of water, food and the uncertainty of how things will turn out make the crossing a real struggle for survival."

According to the organization, one of the Ukrainian asylum-seekers has HIV and was running out of essential medication.

The group was officially allowed to cross the border into Georgia on August 27. No explanation or further comment on the long delay was offered.