In the night of 7th August, a military conflict broke out in Georgia. The Russian Federation got involved in this conflict as well. In connection with war events in Georgia, we have asked the Embassy of Georgia to Slovakia for an interview. We have been given the interview by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Slovakia Nikoloz Nikolozishvili. We have asked also the Embassy of the Russian Federation for an interview. We have been currently waiting for its statement.

How did the war conflict in Georgia originate and what steps were taken by the parties in order to prevent the conflict?

First of all, it is necessary to say that this conflict originated sooner than in the beginning of August.  We pointed out to our Western partners that that there were signals about the Russian side preparing for provocations and for war.  Vladimir Putin’s regulation from April 16 about Russian ministries’ beginning of direct cooperation with the so-called ministries of separatist republics was a strong impulse.  Consequently, the Russian Federation broke all the treaties and moved units of railway army to Abkhazia that reconstructed railroad and other military infrastructure.  It was a part of the preparations for war.  Let us also mention that in the end of July, there were military exercises going on in the Northern Caucasus, the biggest in Russia in the last years.  Everything points to the fact that they had been preparing for war for a long time.  It also proves the fact that thousands military vehicles entered Georgia practically during one night.  No country is able to gather thousands of military vehicles in such a short time and start occupying their neighbor country.  According to our information, there was another plan, in case the provocation in South Ossetia did not work – they would have advanced through Kodori pass in upper Abkhazia with the goal of starting provocations.  There were two plans of luring Georgia into war, which is and should have been a pretext for the occupation of our territory.  They wanted to do it before December, when Georgia gets a plan of NATO entry.

You claim that the exercises in Northern Caucasus were a preparation for the war conflict.  However, we know that there were parallel exercises on the other side, too.  Weren’t these also preparations for war?

There were military exercises in Georgia, but these were conducted in the framework of the Partnership for Peace.  Partners from NATO participated in them, Azerbaijan and Armenia as well.  They were absolutely open and planned exercises, and there was nothing special about them.

So it was an accident that there were parallel military exercises on both sides?

Our partners were informed about our exercises beforehand, since they were planned in advance.  Partnership for Peace is an open program information about which all the partners in NATO have.  Russian Federation has been a partner of the alliance as well, so it also had information about the exercises.  There was nothing extraordinary about it.  If it were, Azerbaijan or Armenia would not have participated in them.  In that case, we could blame them that they also participated in the conflict against the Russian Federation.  Then fantasizing could go too far away.

Why was the operation of Georgian army for restoring constitutional order conducted at the time it was conducted, and what were the reasons for its initiation?

According to us, it was all planned by the Russians at the time that most of the world leaders were either at the Olympics in China or on vacation.  This time was established precisely for the reason that small importance be given to the conflict.  Everything was supposed to start exactly when the world was busy with something else, and it should have ended sooner than they expected.  It did not work this way, world leaders in Beijing, but also elsewhere, paid a lot of attention to the conflict.

Are you saying that the operation for the restoration of constitutional order was conducted by the Russian Federation?

Georgian policemen that were active in South Ossetia following the agreements were killed before the operation, and Ossetian separatists started bombing Georgian villages close to Chinvali.  We subsequently returned fire.  President Saakashvili appeared in public broadcast, where he declared that he had issued an order for Georgian troops not to return Ossetian fire.  Our representatives got in contact with so-called peacemakers, with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well, but the answer that kept coming from the Russian side was that they had no influence over Ossetian separatists who got out of control.  Negotiations continued for several hours, during which civilians in Georgian tows were dying.  No country can allow bombing of its own villages and killing its civilian population.  Our forces were forced to return Ossetian fire.  Then it happened what happened: Russian tanks crossed the Rok tunnel.

As you have mentioned, President Saakashvili issued an order not to return Ossetian fire.  What lead him to suddenly change his decision?

The fact that lives of innocent civilians were being lost.  The fact that Ossetians did not stop bombing Georgian villages.

However, civilians had been killed for over a week.  Bombing of Georgian villages continued since August 1st.  The order not to return fire was issued on August 7, and President Saakashvili changed the decision on the same day.

It was when the bombing was the most intense.  Their goal was to get us to fire, so that Russians had a reason to enter our territory.

An operation that gains under control practically the entire territory of South Ossetia certainly requires a long and thorough preparation.  When was the scenario for occupation of South Ossetia planned?

There was no planned scenario; the only thing that was planned was building of state, army, our economy.  That is all.

It is not possible from the practical point of view to occupy in such a short time the entire territory of South Ossetia without prior planning…

State resorts must be prepared for the worst case scenario

Was the decision to begin the operation for the restoration of constitutional order consulted with the American side?

Georgian state makes these kinds of decisions independently.  However, we subsequently informed our Western partners that the situation was such that required us returning fire.

What was the subject of Condoleezza Rice’s negotiations when visiting Georgia shortly before the outbreak of the conflict?  Did the negotiations include escalation of tensions in the region?

It certainly did from our part.  We have always warned our partners that Russians were preparing provocations.

What was the result of your warnings?

The result is that the Russian Federation is occupying Georgian territory.

Did Georgian representatives count on such a harsh reaction from the part of the Russian Federation after Georgia responded with a massive operation in the South Ossetian territory?

When you have such an aggressive neighbor, you may need to count on anything, and perhaps even such reaction was anticipated.  However, Russians did not count on the fact that it is not the year 1968 anymore.

After the deployment of the Russian army not falling under the mandate of peace corps, Georgia was suddenly in a situation facing a considerably stronger enemy.  Which countries did Georgia ask for military assistance?

All the friendly countries.

How do you explain the fact that no military assistance came from any side?

We explain it by the fact that our partners still think that there can be found sanely thinking people in Russia who can stop what is happening right now.  We must start with them leaving Georgia peacefully. However, it is the unequivocal merit of our European friends that Russians did not enter the capital Tbilisi.  When speaking of military assistance, we must not forget that our friendly states, including Slovakia, provided humanitarian aid for us, and we thank them for that.

A few months ago, an Ukrainian party UNA – UNSO (Ukrainian National Assembly – Ukrainian National Self Defence) issued a declaration, according to which if an armed conflict breaks out in the regions, it will support the Georgian side by sending volunteers.  In the present, President of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity claims that Ukrainian volunteers fight side by side with Georgian troops.  Do you have information regarding the presence of Ukrainian volunteer groups in Georgia?

There was no UNA-UNSO.  There was Georgian army, Georgian policemen.  On the contrary, we know very well, and there is evidence, that mercenaries fight on Russian side.  They are cossacks and members of some North-Caucasian nations.  This kind of mercenary is a criminal act.  I think that the time will come when it will become clear who hired whom and for how much.  We know that the Russians do not pay the mercenaries and promise them only transport to the place of conflict and the possibility to loot.  If Russia needs to fight a small country like Georgia with the help of these mercenaries, then it is not a superpower.  It does not speak of their power, but of their demoralization.  It can also be seen in Gori, where cossacks and Ossetians plunder with Russian help.  Even Russian soldiers plunder – from underwear to detergents and toilet paper.  Is it not clear from this that Russia is not a superpower?

The starting point before the conflict was that Georgia controlled the upper part of Kodor pass and relatively big part of South Ossetia.  Russian forces occupied these regions rather quickly after their entry.  What is the situation there today?

We have very few information from these regions.  However, we know what happened when Georgian population left their homes.  Russians killed people, plundered and burned Georgian property.  According to our information, not one house stayed intact.

Are there any information whether the representatives of local administration are alive?

Some had time to leave the conflict zone, some did not.  In the present, it is very hard to tell who is alive, who is not and who was taken captive.  We know about Russians keeping civilians for prisoners, even though a short time ago an exchange of military prisoners was made.  There is still a large number of civilians captured by the Russian army and by the separatists.  We are currently working on finding out who they are and on their subsequent release.

What about Dmitri Sanakoev?

Sanakoev is all right, he was present at a press conference a short time ago.

Do you think that the mentioned regions will, under the fulfillment of the truce conditions, especially the fifth, return under Georgian control?

One thing is clear: we will surely arrive at the point when the conflict will be internationalized.  We have argued for a long time that it needs to be internationalized.  The EU and other international organizations must be the mediators, not Russia.  It is proven today that Russia is not a mediator, but a party in the conflict.  We have shared our opinion about Russia not being mediator with our partners for a long time, but they needed to execute „academic” steps, already lasting years.  However, we pointed out the need for the engagement of a neutral mediator.  Now it will certainly happen, since it is clear that Russia is a party in the conflict.  All the world leaders say that territorial integrity of Georgia is indisputable.  It is also stated so in the UN resolutions, binding for Russia as well.  Regarding the questions like timing and the way of their fulfillment, who will participate in it, these are just technical issues.  Key principles are clear.  Intensive negotiations around sending observers are presently taking place in the framework of OSCE.

We will get to the remaining principles of the armistice later; let us try to keep to the two territories in Abkhazia and South Ossetia that were initially under Georgian control.

It is very difficult to say.  Officially, Russian army is withdrawing, in reality it does not and it continues its provocations and war crimes.  Not long ago, it reentered Poti town where there was a strong explosion.  So far nobody knows what exploded there; Russians do not let journalists or citizens in there.  We could not say at present that Russians are withdrawing.  According to the words of the Russian President, they should have started to withdraw at noon on August 18, but we have not seen any real steps so far.  I cannot estimate the time plan of their withdrawal, but one thing is clear: they will withdraw from Georgia, and the territorial integrity of Georgia will be kept.  I also know that Georgian people will never be reconciled with the Russian occupants staying in their territory, or with Georgia becoming a part of a new version of the Soviet Union.

In association with the Russian army’s stay in the Georgian territory, towns of Gori, Poti, Senaki and Zugdidi were mentioned above all else.  At the same time, news about the intention of the Russian army to control Tbilisi appeared, which was also your claim during one of your television appearances.  If we concede a real intention to gain control over Tbilisi, why wasn’t this accomplished?

They were stopped by a reaction of the civilized world and by the unity of Georgian nation.  The fact that they saw 200 000 demonstrators in front of the Georgian parliament building.  If they entered Tbilisi, it would be genocide of Georgian nation, because it would never give up.  However, they thought that there are people in Tbilisi who would go against Georgian government and who would help Russian troops enter Tbilisi.  Russians had a plan prepared for the formation of a puppet government.  This plan existed, and it probably still exists, but it was stopped by unity of Georgian nation and by a very strong reaction of the civilized world.

Russians probably knew that it would be very disadvantageous from the point of international politics to enter Tbilisi.  Couldn’t it be just evoking fear without real intention of Russian army to enter Tbilisi?

I don’t know what plans were made in their sick fantasies.  Maybe they had more alternative plans, and they chose one in dependence on the current situation.  Anything can be expected of them.  They have big plans:  to occupy Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Baltic states, Poland after the occupation of Georgia.  Read the assessments of Russians analysts who want to go to Berlin.  These are sick fantasies, taken seriously by a part of the governing Russian elites.  They never acquiesced with the destruction of the Soviet Union.  They never acquiesced the fact that Georgia, Ukraine, Poland are free nations.  The scenario is clear:  two years ago, they threw in there a few thousand Russian passports and they made citizens of the Russian Federation from the Ossetians.  The same thing happened in Abkhazia.  We know from the media that such Russian passports circulated also in Ukraine, maybe also somewhere else, it is the same method as used by Nazis in the 30s.  Nazis were giving out German passports to the people in the neighboring countries, so that they could later come to save them.  Look at what Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov said a few months ago.  He said that he knew how Ukrainian state was created.  We also know how Russia was created:  in 18th century, the territory that is called Russia today was marked in the European maps as Grand Tartaria.  From this, it is very clear how the Russian Empire, and later Soviet Union, were created.  Mister Lavrov even called Georgia a virtual project a few days ago Let’s look into history and we will clearly see who is a virtual project, and who is a real nation and country.

Let us come back to the attack on Tbilisi that was supposed to be planned.  News about advancing Russian army kept coming for three days.  That is why the idea of Russian troops taking over the city seems very strange to me:  why didn’t they try during this time?

They have several alternative plans prepared for this kind of situations.  I don’t know exactly which plan was used – Plan A, Plan B or Plan X – but I know for sure that one of the possible scenarios was occupation of the capital.  It was confirmed also by French Minister of Foreign Affairs Bernard Kouchner at a press conference after the meeting of the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of NATO member states.

On August 14, the control over Gori town was handed over to the Georgian officials for the first time.  Subsequently news started coming about the Russian troops’ stay in town, what was categorically denied by the Russian side.  Shortly after that, town was again handed over to the Georgian officials.  Information about the presence of Russian troops in town is quite contradictory.  How is it with the handing over of the town to the Georgian officials?

Practically, it is not happening.  Georgian policemen are always admitted there for a short time and then asked to leave town.  Subsequently journalists are let in and then asked to leave.  It has two goals:  a strategic one is determent of Europe, demonstration of which is the fact that Russian troops can do what they please.  A practical one is keeping promise to the mercenaries that they would be allowed free plundering.  If mercenaries did not plunder freely long enough, they could carry away enough loot, and they would be dissatisfied.  That is why the Russian army leaves them longer time for plundering.  This was repeated several times in Gori, Poti, Zugdidi, because of accomplishing the two goals.  That is the reason why the information from the Russian side is contradictory:  one representative says that the army will start to withdraw on August 13, another says August 18, one says in the morning, the other says in the afternoon.  It can be deduced also from this that these are activities of a reckless state, irresponsible towards its partners and the entire civilized world.

It is mostly cossacks and separatists that plunder, however you mentioned cases of even regular troops of the Russian army plundering.  Are these cases documented?

Cossacks, separatists, but also Russian soldiers.  Everything is documented.  Those who committed these crimes will be tried in the Haag.

The issue of the degree of responsibility of the Russian army for the crimes of the plundering separatists is interesting.  We know that when the USA intervened in the Kosovo war, the advancing American army was accompanied by plundering Albanians and members of UCK who burned and robbed in the Serbian villages…

Russians are responsible for the occupation of Georgia, and plundering is a consequence of the Russian occupation.  They are responsible for the aggression against their neighbor state.  What happened after and what is happening today is the consequence, but the cause lies in the fact that Russians are occupying a neighbor country.  If they committed this kind of crime, it is obvious that other forms of crime will appear as well.

The Russian Federation repeatedly denied the presence of armored troops in Gori town, while it conceded the presence of intelligence and infantry.  However, Georgian side claims that there were Russian tanks in the town.  Wasn’t it armored troops of the separatists?

Since the first day of the conflict, Georgian government opened a press center for journalists in Gori town.  Foreign, Russian and Georgian journalists could be present there.  Everything was open for the journalists from our side.  Let us compare it with what happened in South Ossetia or Vladicaucasus.  At least 6 journalists died in the conflict.  Everyone of them lost their life because of the attacks of the Russian army or the separatists.  They did not die by accident, they were shot.  On August 18, two journalists were buried.  A Dutch journalist died, alongside with a Georgian journalist and a Russian journalist.  Turkish journalists were wounded.  Regardless the fact whether there were armored troops, tanks, mercenaries or regular Russian army, it is all very nicely documented.  It is not us who say that, but objective sources that were present there.  Human Rights Watch works in the region.  Nobody has doubted the objectiveness of the organization so far.  Let us compare what the Russians say to what we say and to what the objective sources say.  99.99% of our information is confirmed by the objective sources.

Are there any regions in Georgia in which it is safely confirmed that there were Russian troops present and in the moment left definitely?

On August 18, it is certain that they we not in Poti town, but on August 19, they are there already.  If they are not in Zugdidi, they can be there tomorrow.

Let us go to the six principles of the armistice, mediated by the French President Nicolas Sarkozy.  We partly mentioned the fifth principle, according to which the Russian army should withdraw to the starting positions.  According to the same principle, Russian peacemakers are taking security measures in South Ossetia and Abkhazia until the creation of international mechanisms.  Doesn’t it give certain legitimacy to the Russian troops for their further activities in the area?

The time of Russian peacemakers in the Caucasus is definitely over.  Everything else is a question of technical implementation.  The mechanism of the principles was explained exactly by President Sarkozy, also to Dmitri Medvedev, in public.  The goal of these six principles is to stop the war and return to the starting point, not speaking about further developments.  Russians cannot act further as peacemakers; they must be replaced by other forces that will be real peacemakers.  Russia occupied Georgia in 1801 at the time of tsar Alexander I. called Peacemaker for the first time -we have know for more than 200 years what kind of peacemakers the Russians are.  We have always told our partner in the EU that they support the separatists, financially, with the propaganda and arms supplies.  And today it has become known.  Several hundreds of lives were necessary for the West to see and believe that Russians are not peacemakers.  Russians are a party to this conflict; it is only technical matter what will the presence of neutral forces look like.

The principles are signed by Presidents of the Russian Federation and Georgia, even leaders of the separatists…

…whether the signatures of the separatists are there or not does not interest me at all.  We know very well who Eduard Kokoity is.  On the day that Condoleezza Rice discussed with the French President about peace in the Caucasus, Mr. Medvedev discussed with Kokoity and Bagapsha.  Isn’t it shame?

All right.  However, these principles are binding for all parties and they include the right of the Russian troops to conduct security measures in the area…

They are not the guarantees of security, but they are obliged to return to the situation before the conflict.  Regarding the „security measures”, they were taken long ago, and they are the reason for the session of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of NATO member states today, that is the reason for the session of the special committee of OSCE and a quick solution of the question of the presence of international forces in the Caucasus is being discussed.

However, this principle includes the provision that while the presence of the international forces you mention is not solved; Russian peacemakers can legitimately operate in the region.  The Russian Federation does have means to deter the decisions above all in the UN Security Council, but also OSCE.  Cannot it be possible that a decision about the deployment of an international peace contingent will be blocked and the Russians will continue in the region according to the abovementioned principle?

I do not think that, because the Russian Federation agreed to the presence of the international forces.  They agree with it, because it is obvious that they cannot be the mediators.  If they do not agree, and will continue in this style, they will get into a strong international isolation.

It could agree to that in principle, but the political negotiations are very complex and often fail because the parties do not agree on the solution of detailed issues…

The whole civilized world got a lesson today.  I do not think that Russia has moral right to prolong the discussion about details and thus deter decisions.  It is simply not possible anymore – world has changed with this conflict.  Europe already knows how safe it is to have such a strong and aggressive country in its neighborhood.  Other measures must be taken in order to stop Russia and assist to a quick conflict resolution.

Let us go to the sixth principle.  There were speculations about the leaving out of this principle as a consequence of the disagreement from the side of Mikheil Saakashvili during the negotiations mediated by the French President.  Right after, all the principles including the sixth that includes immediate negotiations regarding the future status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, were endorsed.

Regarding the speculation about leaving out the sixth principle, Sarkozy’s text was sanctioned in Moscow.  Then the French President came with this document to Georgia.  There were negotiations that lasted for several hours, during which President Sarkozy made several telephone calls to Dmitri Medvedev.  All the parties agreed with the wording of the document, which was confirmed also by the signature for the Georgian side.  There are no speculations in place.  French President is a witness to that and on August 18, he gave an interpretation of all the six points.  Any speculations from the Russian side are just a propaganda tricks.

What specifically does mean the beginning of immediate negotiations about the status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia that is anchored in the sixth principle?

Abkhazia has a status of Abkhazian autonomous republic guaranteed by the Constitution of Georgia.  According to Georgian laws, South Ossetia does not have any status.  We are for a broader autonomy of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.  We can negotiate in the framework of the obligations ensuing from the abovementioned principles.  However, the key issue here is that the territorial integrity of Georgia is indisputable.

However, the indisputability of the territorial integrity of Georgia is not included in the wording of the mentioned document…

It is not necessary, since that is anchored in the UN resolutions and all the world leaders support it.

What strategy will be used by the Russian Federation in order to keep its influence in Georgia through the separatist republics?  I cannot believe that it would put through authoritativeness of public vote for rendering independence of these regions, as it results from the declarations of Russian representatives.  It could easily turn against itself.

President Medvedev said not long ago that Ossetian and Abkhazian nation must decide on their own future.  I don’t know what kind of Instruments will be used, but it would mean…

…it would mean referendum.

In other regions of Georgia, there are 350 000 refugees from Abkhazia.  Russians still hinder their return home.  Abkhazians constituted 17% of the population in the Abkhazian autonomous republic before the conflict, while Georgians did 52%.  There were 82 thousand Abkhazians, 350 000 Georgians.  If we add the later born children, then after the return of the refugees with their families, this figure can go up to 400 000.  It is not only Georgians among the refugees, but also other nationalities: Greeks, Armenians, Estonians.  After their return we can talk about the need for a referendum.  In South Ossetia, the situation and government are different.  There is another government than Kokoity’s government:  you mentioned Dmitri Sanakoev, President of legal temporary administration.    He was an Ossetian warrior who fought against Georgia.  He was a Minister of Defense in so-called south-Ossetian government of Eduard Kokoity.  But then he changed his mind and he sees the only possibility in the peaceful coexistence of the Ossetian nation with the Georgian nation within Georgian state, with a broader autonomy of South Ossetia.  Look at what his government did, and what Kokoity did.  Sanakoev’s government controlled roughly 40% of the territory of South Ossetia, where it built hospitals, schools, recreation centers, pension centers and youth centers.  What did Kokoity’s government do, that had nothing to do with South Ossetia in the past?  It smuggled arms, counterfeit dollars, cars and it cashed in big money on that.  They are just criminals – so-called Prime Minister Yuri Morozov, so-called Secretary of Security Council Anatolyi Barankevich, Oleg Chebotarev, Boris Atoev, Mikhail Mindzaev and others.  They have nothing in common with South Ossetia; they are officers of the Russian army installed by the Russians.  Should these people decide on the future of the south-Ossetian nation?  Certainly not.

On August 13, Georgia filed an action against the Russian Federation for the crimes against humanity committed in the years 1992 – 2008 to the International Court of Justice in the Haag.  The Russian Federation demands criminal responsibility of the people who are responsible for the genocide against Ossetian nation.  Do you suppose the establishment of an independent tribunal that will judge people from both sides for the crimes committed in the war conflict in Georgia?

I don’t know whether it will be an independent tribunal or investigation, but one thing is clear:  the occupants will pay for their actions.  There is very tough evidence of Russians committing genocide and ethnic cleansing against Georgian nation since 1992.  Yesterday Mr. Lavrov confirmed it then he said that he saw no possibility of the return of Georgian citizens to the territory of South Ossetia.  That is a direct appeal for ethnic cleansing.  It is black on white.  Regarding the attempted Russian propaganda about the Georgian genocide in Chinvali: it is obvious to the entire world that they are just Russian propaganda tricks and that there was no genocide.  Human Rights Watch has confirmed 44 civilian casualties so far.  So it is not about hundreds or thousands of dead.    If Russians have any evidence about genocide, let them show it.  Georgia is prepared to have the last occurrences investigated.  We have lots of evidence about the crimes committed by Russians – war crimes, genocide and ethnic cleansing.

However, the Haag Court decided that it cannot start a trial without the consent of the Russian Federation which created an investigation committee at the General Attorney of the Russian Federation, through which it started its own investigation…

Let them investigate.  We will appeal the international court.  We do not trust Russian investigators that are puppets in the hand of Kremlin.  On the contrary, we trust the independent international court, from which we demand to investigate the development in Georgia in last days and years

Is there an agency created for the investigation of these developments?

Yes, of course, Ministry of Justice gathers all the evidence of these crimes.

You mentioned that Human Rights Watch has recognized 44 civilian casualties on the Ossetian side as a consequence of the attack of Georgian forces so far.  The number of these casualties will probably rise.  Will Georgia investigate its own citizens in connection with the war crimes according to the Georgian Criminal Code?

When we speak about the civilians in Chinvali, we must realize the fact which is well documented even in the Human Right Watch reports.  They consider Ossetian soldiers, cossacks and other armed people as casualties.  We can read in the reports that according to the citizens of Chinvali, Ossetian soldiers were shooting at Georgian forces from multiapartment houses, where there were also civilians.  That is human shield: it is a mater of war crime, no?  Let us take a look at what Russians did when we speak of civil casualties.  They were using cluster bombs; they used the Iskander rocket system.  We have evidence of them being used directly on civilian objects where there were no Georgian troops present.

How many recorded casualties are there on the Georgian side?

The last number I know about is 188 casualties, out of which 120 soldiers.  The rest are civilians.  We are talking mostly about the towns of Gori and Senaki, but we don’t know what is happening in the Georgian villages in South Ossetia.  There is still a high number of missing people.  We can talk about complex numbers after international observers are allowed there.

During the presence of the Russian army in the territory of Georgia, the support of government also from the part of the opposition has risen.  That support will, however, probably subside after the withdrawal of the Russian forces, and people will be asking who is responsible for the bad situation on the country.  According to your information, will the Russian Federation try to use this situation in order to achieve its goals?

They will try, but they will not succeed.  Georgia is in a different situation than in 1921.  The current government is democratically elected and all the countries recognize it.  That is the first issue.  The second issue is that the entire opposition stood up against the Russian occupation and the nation is united like never before.  We democratically elected this government, and we will democratically elect the next one, too.  The Russian Federation did not have, does not have and since today will not have any support among the Georgian population.  Georgian nation will not elect any prorussian forces.  And the nation is smart enough to distinguish prorussian and progeorgian.

 

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