Georgian Security Service links hexogen smuggling and bomb threats to Ukraine

The State Security Service of Georgia (SSS) has suggested that recent incidents involving the illegal import of explosives and bomb threats against court buildings may be linked to Ukraine and aimed at destabilising the country in the run-up to the October 4 elections.

According to Georgian media, cited by Caliber.Az, the head of the SSS, Mamuka Mdinaradze, made the statement during an interview on Imedi TV.

Mdinaradze recalled that on September 11, two Ukrainian nationals were detained in Georgia after a truck with Ukrainian license plates crossed into the country through the Sarpi checkpoint on the Georgian-Turkish border. Concealed in the vehicle’s hidden compartments, investigators found 2.4 kilograms of hexogen, an explosive significantly more powerful than TNT.

“The hexogen came from Ukraine through several countries. The investigation is working on two versions. One, which at this stage is more plausible, is that it was meant to remain in Georgia. However, there is also the version that it was supposed to go to Russia, and this is confirmed by the driver,” Mdinaradze explained. He added that in either case, Georgia had narrowly avoided a serious threat.

Responding to questions about whether the incident might be linked to the election period, the SSS chief stressed that it was difficult to view such timing as a coincidence.

He also recalled earlier events in Georgia’s political history — notably the secret arrival of former president Mikheil Saakashvili, now a Ukrainian citizen, ahead of the 2021 elections, as well as the 2016 car bombing targeting United National Movement member Givi Targamadze, which occurred four days before the parliamentary vote.

“Fortunately, not only did Givi Targamadze survive, but the country was also spared much greater turmoil. The aim of that explosion was most likely not personal revenge, but an act directed against the state to cause unrest,” Mdinaradze noted.

He also linked recent false bomb threats at the Tbilisi City and Supreme Court buildings to actors operating from Ukraine.

“My opinion, and I have information, is that this is coming from one of the countries from which the hexogen was sent to us, and planning is being carried out from there. It is clear that this is ineffective and fruitless, fortunately for this country, but still, much of the same kind of information comes from there. This is no coincidence. It is connected,” he stated.

Mdinaradze said that each bomb threat requires security services to deploy resources for verification.

“The bomb disposal experts arrive, conduct an inspection in accordance with protocol, and we are obliged to do this — regardless of how confident we are, or how much prior information we have. We cannot afford to ignore such calls,” he explained.

He stressed that these false alarms have not hampered the functioning of the security services.

“With this pathetic attempt, they are simply trying to create a sense of disorder,” Mdinaradze concluded.

By Tamilla Hasanova