Georgia broke a longstanding tradition Saturday by failing to send an honor guard to meet the coffin of Vano Nadiradze, a 55-year-old volunteer who died defending Ukraine. For the first time, Georgia did not greet a soldier who defended Ukraine with a guard of honor, according to Echo of the Caucasus newspaper.
The decision marks a stark departure from previous protocol as Georgia’s government aligns increasingly with Russian interests while over 80 Georgian volunteers have died fighting Putin’s forces in Ukraine. Georgian Dream has deviated from this path, causing internal strife with the ruling party abandoning EU integration after fraudulent October elections.
Unprecedented break from protocol
Nadiradze’s body arrived in Tbilisi on Saturday after he died last weekend, reportedly from a heart attack. Nadiradze is said to have defended Ukraine in the ranks of the SBU unit since the beginning of the full-scale war and was a media figure who actively informed Georgian audiences about the war.
The volunteer was sentenced in absentia to 14 years in prison for “mercenary” by Russia, marking him as a target of Putin’s regime. His coffin was met only by family, friends, and concerned citizens who knew him, while the Defense Ministry has not commented on the unprecedented protocol breach.
Georgia’s Russian turn
The government’s decision comes as Georgia undergoes what critics call a complete capture by Russian influence. Since 2022, the rhetoric of the Georgian government towards the West made a hostile turn since the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, with officials echoing Russian propaganda narratives.
Georgia’s ruling party, now dubbed “Russian Dream” by opposition figures, announced it would halt the country’s EU integration process until 2028, sparking some of the largest demonstrations on record. The decision mirrors Viktor Yanukovych’s 2013 rejection of EU association in Ukraine, which triggered the Euromaidan revolution.
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Mounting pressure on Ukrainian volunteers
Georgian volunteers fighting for Ukraine face increasing persecution at home. About 300 people from the combat unit he led were put on the wanted list in Georgia, according to Georgian Legion commander Mamuka Mamulashvili. Many of our guys who were returning to Georgia were advised by the Georgian special services to leave, he reported.
The crackdown extends beyond the Georgian Legion to other volunteers. Several Georgian volunteer fighters returning from Ukraine have been summoned for questioning by Georgia’s State Security Service (SUS) in connection with a purported coup plot, with charges including terrorism and coup plotting.
Heavy toll among Georgian defenders
Georgians likely rank first among foreign fighters killed fighting for Ukraine, with estimates suggesting around 60 Georgians have been killed fighting in Ukraine, possibly the highest death toll of any foreign nationality fighting for Ukraine. The total may exceed 80 according to Georgian media reports.
Despite government hostility, Georgian public support for Ukraine remains strong. According to the Caucasus Barometer survey, 69% of respondents consider Russia as Georgia’s main enemy, creating a stark divide between the population and the increasingly pro-Russian government.
Background
Georgia’s democratic crisis deepened after October’s fraudulent parliamentary elections, where the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed 54% of the vote amid widespread allegations of fraud. International observers noted serious irregularities, with statistical analysis suggests that the party derided as “Russian Dream” stole 15% of the votes.
The government’s abandonment of EU integration has triggered massive protests reminiscent of Ukraine’s Euromaidan. For many Georgians, this mirrors Ukraine’s experience when Viktor Yanukovych rejected the EU association agreement in 2013, leading to the Euromaidan revolution.