Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has expressed gratitude to Georgian and Moldovan authorities for their role in helping organize the safe return of Ukrainian citizens who had been stranded at the Dariali border crossing on the Russian-Georgian frontier.
In a statement shared on social media, Sybiha said the operation was carried out on the instruction of President Volodymyr Zelensky and involved the repatriation of 65 citizens from the buffer zone at the Dariali checkpoint. Among them were ten women and eight seriously ill individuals, who, Sybiha said, had been caught in a humanitarian crisis “created by Russia’s actions.”
Ukrainian diplomats, consuls, and international organizations worked to improve the conditions of those stranded and to facilitate their return. Between August 21 and 22, a large group of citizens was transported from Georgia to Ukraine via Moldova.
“We express particular gratitude to the official representatives of the Georgian and Moldovan authorities for their assistance in organizing the transit route and resolving logistical matters,” the foreign minister wrote, adding that in previous months Ukraine had already secured the return of 44 citizens. This brings the total number of Ukrainians repatriated from Dariali in recent months to 109.
Sybiha noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with Ukraine’s embassies in Georgia and Moldova and relevant agencies, continues working to repatriate remaining citizens who wish to return.
The minister also stressed that the humanitarian crisis emerged in June when Russia sharply increased the number of Ukrainian citizens deported to the Russian-Georgian border. Kyiv has urged Moscow to deport its citizens directly to Ukraine instead of sending them through Georgia, a proposal that remains unanswered.
“If Russia continues to ignore it, the only conclusion will be that the sharp increase in the number of deportees is a planned Russian operation against Ukraine. At the same time, Ukraine never abandons its people in distress and will always prioritize the protection of the rights and legitimate interests of its citizens,” Sybiha said.
