State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) says explosives were brought into the country on the orders of Ukrainian intelligence services.
Deputy Head of the SSSG, Lasha Magradze, made the statement at a briefing held today, September 12.
On September 11, the SSSG announced that a Ukrainian citizen attempted to smuggle 2.4 kilograms of the explosive substance RDX (“hexogen”) into Georgia by truck, leading to the arrest of two Ukrainian nationals. Investigation determined that the explosive belonged to the Ukrainian citizen driving the vehicle.
The SSSG further stated that testimony from one of the detainees confirms that the explosives were handed over to the truck driver in Ukraine by representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
The agency is also investigating whether there is a connection between the smuggling of explosives and the rally planned for October 4.
“Two Ukrainian citizens were detained with 2.4 kilograms of RDX. The substance entered Georgia via Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey.
Following the arrests, numerous investigative and operational measures were carried out within a day and a half. It was established that on Ukrainian territory, employees of the so-called SBU handed the explosives to the driver of a Mercedes truck, instructing him to deliver them into Georgia and hand them over to a specific individual indicated by them. This is also confirmed by the testimony of one of the detainees.
Although the detainee claimed that the final destination of the explosives was Russia, allegedly to be used for an operation codenamed ‘Pautina 2’, investigation and other operational data currently point to a single final location — a residential house in Tbilisi’s Avlabari district.
For this reason, alongside other versions, active work is underway to determine whether there is a link between this case and the October 4 elections and the plans announced by radical groups in connection with them,” — Magradze said.
