Georgia refusing entry to group of Ukrainian former convicts forcibly taken to Russia - media

This is reported by Meduza with reference to the Volunteers Tbilisi nonprofit, which helps Ukrainian refugees in Georgia, Ukrinform saw.

It is noted that the men have nowhere to sleep but on the checkpoint’s floor, while volunteers bring them food and water.

For the first time, the former convicts tried to cross the border on October 11, but they were not allowed to enter Georgia, allegedly because the authorities were waiting for MFA Ukraine’s reaction. At the same time, four former prisoners are holders of valid Ukrainian passports, while three have the certificate proving their release from Russian colonies as their only ID.

The men served their sentences in Kherson colonies, but in the fall of 2022, as the Russian invasion army was retreating, they were taken to Russia. One of them said that after their release, they were brought to the deportation center in Volgograd, where they issued bans on entering Russia for the next eight years.

One of the former convicts committed a suicide attempt. After the man received medical assistance, his condition is now stable.

"We are all citizens of Ukraine and we just want to return home," said another Ukrainian.

It is noted that this is not the first time when Georgia refuses to let former Ukrainian convicts into its territory. At the end of August, a group of six Ukrainians spent 10 days at the Upper Lars checkpoint.

As reported by Ukrinform, about 4,000 convicts and prisoners were evacuated from Ukrainian hostility zones.