According to Beso Shengelia, a member of the United National Movement (UNM) party, 85% of the fuel shipped from Georgian-controlled territory to occupied Abkhazia goes to occupation forces.
Shengelia claims that this fuel is supplied to strategic military sites involved in the war against Ukraine.
“Irakli Kobakhidze’s statement regarding so-called humanitarian aid is smoke and mirrors, a lie, and a betrayal of national interests. Fuel exported from Georgia directly sustains the Russian occupation machine and the separatists. We remind the so-called ruling regime that during wartime, the direct or indirect supply of fuel and lubricants to the aggressor constitutes support for military operations and is equivalent to handing over weapons to the enemy.”
The opposition party member listed the facilities that, according to him, are supplied by fuel shipments from Georgia:
- “The 7th Russian Military Base in Gudauta. Military Unit No. 09322, which has been participating in the war against Ukraine from day one and has deployed several motorized rifle brigades there.
- The FSB Border Guard Division and Maritime Detachment stationed in Ochamchire. Georgian fuel is poured directly into FSB military boats operating in the Black Sea.
- The Bombora military airfield in Gudauta runs on Georgian fuel.
- The Tsebelda and Nagvalou firing ranges, where the occupiers conduct their main combat exercises using this fuel.”
According to Shengelia, out of the remaining 15%, de facto security agencies split 10%, while the head of the Gali militia and the head of the GAI (traffic police) fight for control over the final 5%. “Not a single liter of fuel reaches ordinary citizens for free or directly,” the National Movement stated.
The opposition party urged the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office to immediately launch an investigation into “the illegal supply of the armed forces of a hostile foreign state and the encroachment on national security.”
As a reminder, on August 12, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze confirmed that fuel had been delivered to occupied Abkhazia from territory controlled by official Tbilisi. According to him, this was done by private business rather than the government, and in strict compliance with the provisions of the Law on Occupied Territories.
Nevertheless, even then, part of the opposition expressed concern that the fuel delivered to Abkhazia might actually have been intended for Russia.
It later emerged that the fuel supplier was Solidus, a company that had received government authorization to operate in the occupied territories.