Former Prosecutor General of Georgia Otar Romanov-Partskhaladze has stated that following the launch of Russia’s so-called “special military operation,” he could not remain on the sidelines and resolved to assist Russian military personnel, as well as the residents of the Donbas and Russian regions bordering Ukraine. He made these remarks in an interview with the TASS news agency, which introduced him as the “commander of the ‘Georgievsky’ international volunteer unit” and a “veteran of the special military operation.”
«My core principle has always remained the same: justice, order, and discipline. It was precisely because of my devotion to the truth, my steadfast patriotic stance, and my refusal to play by Western rules that I was subjected to unprecedented pressure. I was placed on the sanctions lists of the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom twice. Yet, to me, these sanctions are like a medal for speaking the truth».
Romanov-Partskhaladze claimed that “following an invitation from Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin” to attend the Victory Day parade on May 9, 2025, he made a definitive decision and enlisted in the “Arbat” volunteer corps, where he served for nine months.
«And following the completion of my service in ‘Arbat,’ my fellow comrades and I made the decision to establish the ‘Georgievsky’ international volunteer unit».
According to the former prosecutor, volunteers who join “Georgievsky” hold deep appreciation for the shared history between Russia and Georgia and their “centuries-old brotherhood.” «Their primary motivation is to defend the Christian faith, the traditional family, and their culture and identity against the insanity and pressure currently being imposed by the West. For them, Russia is a bastion of sound, standard human values, and they have made a firm commitment to defend this bastion with arms in hand,» he added.
In an earlier interview with TASS, Romanov-Partskhaladze noted that the unit’s name is derived from the 1783 Treaty of Georgievsk, which played a pivotal role in the history of the Georgian nation. That treaty between the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti and the Russian Empire was subsequently violated by the latter, ultimately leading to the loss of Georgian statehood.
In Georgia, criminal proceedings have been initiated against Romanov-Partskhaladze under Article 109 of the Criminal Code, which pertains to murder-for-hire committed for financial gain. The former prosecutor general stands accused of organizing an assassination attempt on businessman Levan Djangveladze.
Otar Romanov-Partskhaladze also forfeited his Georgian citizenship after acquiring a Russian passport. Georgian authorities have indicated that this circumstance substantially complicates the prospects of his extradition to his home country.