Mamuka Pipia, leader of the pro-Russian party “Solidarity for Peace” (Solidarnost vo imya mira), stated on the broadcast of the “Solovyov Live” propaganda channel that Russia may block or restrict market access for more than 40 Georgian companies.
These include companies producing a range of food products, beer, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and mineral water, which have been included in a list of businesses that reportedly finance “anti-Russian activities” and “Russophobia.”
Meanwhile, Pipia did not name the companies, nor did he specify the government agency that allegedly compiled the list. According to him, this list has already been approved, and all that remains is to wait for an official announcement.
In an interview with the Georgian service of Radio Liberty, Georgian expert Nikoloz Metreveli, who recently took part in an event on the sidelines of the SPIEF (St. Petersburg International Economic Forum) in St. Petersburg, stated that he had heard nothing about the list.
As a reminder, the Russian Federation remains the largest export market for Georgian wine – according to Geostat (the National Statistics Office of Georgia), it accounts for more than 60% of the country’s total wine exports.
Moscow has previously used trade embargoes against Georgia as a lever of political pressure. The most extensive of these was the 2006 ban on Georgian products, including wine, other alcoholic beverages, and mineral water. This dealt a severe blow to the country’s winemaking sector.
In 2019, the Russian Federation suspended direct flights with Georgia – later, on May 15, 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree lifting this ban and restoring visa-free travel for Georgian citizens on short-term visits to Russia.
Additionally, in late May 2026, the Russian Federation imposed bans on Armenian products due to Yerevan’s pro-European course, citing “non-compliance with established standards.”