Georgia refuses entry to six Ukrainians from Kherson region deported by Russia to its territory

Georgia has not allowed six former prisoners from the Kherson region, who were deported by Russian security forces during the retreat in the autumn of 2022, to enter the country.

This was reported by the Russian media outlet Mediazona. 

According to the publication, the Russians took Ukrainian prisoners to Krasnodar, Rostov, and Volgograd regions, where they served their sentences imposed by Ukrainian courts. 

Upon completion of their sentences, the Ukrainians were recognised as illegally staying on the territory of the Russian Federation and sent to centres for the temporary detention of foreign nationals.

If the prisoners had at least a Ukrainian passport, they could be sent to the border with Georgia.

According to human rights activist Aidana Fedosyk, this is the first time this has happened: previously, Georgia let Ukrainians through so they could return home. 

Currently, the men are in the buffer zone of the Verkhnii Lars checkpoint and refuse to return to Russia.

The Georgian side did not comment on the situation. 

In an interview with Ukrinform, Deputy Minister of Justice Olena Vysotska said that before the partial de-occupation of the Kherson region, Russians had transferred almost two thousand Ukrainian convicts to the occupied territories of Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Qirim and Russia.

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