Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Dec. 4, announced that the Kiev regime would take “concrete actions” against Georgia; and the next day, he signed a decree targeting Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kokabhidze and 18 other leaders of Georgia with sanctions.
His National Security and Defense Committee in the Office of the President pulled together the targeted 19 individuals. Over the last year, Georgia’s State Security Service has been conducting an investigation of a terror plot, and possible assassination plot, against at least 1 of the 19—Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the ruling Georgia Dream party. The SSS investigation seems to be centered upon the infamous “Georgia Legion” of Mamuka Mamulashvili—an irregular force of Georgians deployed into Ukraine in 2014, suspected of carrying out the sniper killings in the Maidan that sabotaged the peace agreement.
In September 2023, the SSS announced the disclosure of a plot abroad to carry out a coup d’état in Georgia. They were looking into Georgians who had fought as volunteers for Ukraine. Then, on July 24, the SSS announced some details of the ongoing investigation “of the preparation of a terrorist act and conspiracy to suppress the state government,” which included “the preparation of the murder of Bidzina Ivanishvili, honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream Party. The aim of the criminal activities is to violently overthrow the state government by destructive forces in the midst of creating unrest in the country and weakening the government.”
That same day, Mamuka Mamulashvili, commander of the Georgian National Legion, responded in an interview with The Insider: The Georgian authorities said that an assassination attempt was being prepared on Ivanishvili. Georgian Legion commander Mamulashvili: “They are going to blame me,” denying any part in a plot in Georgia. He confidently asserted that those carrying out such an investigation will be gone after: “I am sure there will be sanctions against the Georgian government. We will gradually promote sanctions against every person who participated in this.” He went on to blame the investigation on Moscow.
