Former Georgian Prosecutor General Otar Romanov-Partskhaladze has formed an international volunteer unit named “Georgiyevsky” in Russia to fight in the war against Ukraine. According to the state news agency TASS, Romanov-Partskhaladze, identified as an “SVO [special military operation] veteran,” will serve as the unit’s commander.
“It was the Russian Mikhail Yegorov and the Georgian Meliton Kantaria who raised the Victory Banner over the Reichstag in 1945; one in four of my compatriots fought for freedom. I am confident that, just as back then, a Russian and a Georgian will once again raise the symbol of the enemy’s defeat. Our like-minded peers and supporters, who advocate for the union of our nations and countries, as well as the defense of traditional family values, have formed the ‘Georgiyevsky’ international unit,” the former Georgian prosecutor general stated.
He clarified that the group’s name refers to the 1783 Treaty of Georgievsk, which played a monumental role in the history of the Georgian people.
According to Romanov-Partskhaladze, the unit’s primary objective is to “bring to a conclusion the fight against the evil threatening not only us, but the entire world.” He noted that he made a voluntary decision to “participate in the SVO on Russia’s side.” Furthermore, he emphasized that since the onset of hostilities, he and his team have been actively providing aid to “Russian servicemen and civilians in the DPR [Donetsk People’s Republic], as well as Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod Oblasts.”
“Today, as Russia battles Western pressure to preserve its identity, traditions, language, and culture, I stand ready to assist the Motherland in achieving all objectives set out by the leader,” he added.
In Georgia, Romanov-Partskhaladze faces criminal charges under Article 109 of the Criminal Code, which covers organizing premeditated murder for hire and for personal gain. The former prosecutor general stands accused of organizing an assassination attempt on businessman Levan Dzhangveladze.
Notably, Otar Romanov-Partskhaladze was stripped of his Georgian citizenship after obtaining a Russian passport. Georgian authorities have stated that this complicates his potential extradition to his home country.