Russia is prepared for a Syria-style military intervention in Georgia to help Georgia’s ruling party retain power if requested, a senior Russian lawmaker stated.
The remarks come amid Georgia’s increasing alignment with Russia amid repeated statements by Georgian officials alleging that mysterious powers are drawing them into a war with Russia and coup accusations levied at Georgian military volunteers who fought against Russia in Ukraine.
Andrei Klimov, deputy chairman of Russia’s Federation Council, made the remarks during a meeting of the Friends of Russia Club in Moscow, as reported by Georgian TV channel TV Pirveli.
When asked if Russia would help prevent a potential coup attempt in Georgia, Klimov drew parallels with Syria, stating, “Any coup is an interference by external forces in the internal affairs of another state, which violates the UN Charter. I’ll tell you something else, for example, there was an attempt to overthrow the state in Syria. When Assad’s legitimate government asked us for military assistance, we provided them with this assistance, and, as you know, the situation in Syria has stabilized.”
Russia’s military intervention in Syria began in September 2015, with the stated goal of supporting President Bashar al-Assad’s government against various opposition groups. The campaign involved extensive airstrikes and the deployment of Russian military personnel, significantly altering the course of the Syrian civil war in favor of Assad’s regime.
Klimov’s comments come amid ongoing tensions in Georgia over the adoption of a controversial “foreign agents” law, which sparked massive protests in the country. Critics argue the law could be used to restrict civil society organizations and is similar to legislation used in Russia to suppress opposition.
The offer of Russian support also follows recent questioning of Georgian volunteers who fought for Ukraine, with some facing charges of plotting a coup and terrorism upon their return home.
Georgia’s “global war party conspiracy” and coup allegations
The Georgian government has been promoting a “global war party conspiracy” theory, claiming that external forces are attempting to orchestrate a coup or revolution in Georgia. This narrative has now been directly connected to the recent protests against the “foreign agents” law.
Kakha Kaladze, the mayor of Tbilisi and general secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, explicitly stated on Rustavi-2 TV channel that “there is an attempt from outside to arrange a coup, a revolution in the country.” He cited the presence of foreign officials at recent protests as evidence of this alleged external interference.
Specifically, Kaladze criticized the appearance of foreign ministers from Estonia, Lithuania, and Iceland at a rally in central Tbilisi on 15 May 2024. He accused these diplomats of attempting to polarize Georgian society and demonstrating hostility towards the country.
This conspiracy theory is being used to justify the controversial “foreign agents” law and portray the government as protecting Georgia from external threats. It aims to discredit opposition groups, NGOs, and independent media by claiming they are controlled by foreign interests seeking to destabilize the country through a coup or revolution.
The government’s rhetoric frames the massive protests against the recently-adopted “foreign agents” law and opposition to the Georgian Dream not as a genuine expression of popular will, but as part of an externally-driven plot to overthrow the current administration.
Related:
- Georgian fighters face terrorism charges after returning from Ukraine
- Georgia enacts controversial “foreign agents” law, NGOs vow opposition
- The global implications of Georgia’s political crisis
- Georgia’s Foreign Agents law: Russia’s new frontline in its war against freedom in the world
- “Story of a dying empire”: Georgia’s “foreign agent” law protests echo Ukraine’s Euromaidan
- Georgia at breaking point with pivotal pro-EU protests
- Georgians protest against Russian influence and “foreign agent” bill ahead of final voting
