Georgian speaker claims Kyiv plotted pre-election coup with Saakashvili

The Speaker of Georgia's Parliament has accused Ukrainian military intelligence of secretly sending former President Mikheil Saakashvili into the country in 2021 in a failed bid to spark a revolution ahead of local elections.

Speaking during his annual address to parliament, Shalva Papuashvili claimed that Saakashvili was smuggled into Georgia in a dairy container just two days before the vote, as part of a covert operation allegedly coordinated with foreign intelligence services, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

“Two days before the elections, Ukrainian military intelligence brought Mikheil Saakashvili into the country in a sour cream container, with a plan prepared to launch revolutionary events after the announcement of the results,” Papuashvili said.

He added that in the days leading up to his arrival, Saakashvili had been meeting with officials in Brussels, supposedly with the assistance of foreign intelligence agencies.

The operation ultimately failed, according to Papuashvili, as Georgian security services detained Saakashvili the day before the elections.

Saakashvili, who previously served as Georgia’s president from 2004 to 2013 and later held a political post in Ukraine, was imprisoned upon his return to Georgia in October 2021.

His detention drew criticism from international observers and human rights groups, who have raised concerns over his treatment in custody.

By Aghakazim Guliyev