Almost 100 Ukrainians deported by Russia are at the checkpoint in Georgia. What is happening?

There are 96 Ukrainian citizens who were deported by Russia in the buffer zone of the Georgian Dariali checkpoint.

Suspilne was informed about this by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

The department said that since the second half of June 2025, the Russian Federation has intensified the deportation of Ukrainians through the Georgian Dariali checkpoint. This has led to a deterioration of the humanitarian situation — currently 96 Ukrainian citizens are in the buffer zone.

Since June, 44 people have been able to leave. At the same time, Russia continues to deport Ukrainians en masse — the Foreign Ministry believes that this is a targeted operation by Moscow.

Most of the deportees are convicted citizens who initially served their sentences in the territories of Ukraine, later occupied by Russia. They were later forcibly taken to Russian colonies.

The Georgian authorities claim that most of these citizens have been convicted of particularly serious crimes, do not have the necessary documents to cross the border, and allowing them into the country "poses a threat".

Moldova also refused to let in Ukrainians deported from Russia who were stuck on the Georgian border.

Echo of the Caucasus writes that 15 Ukrainians have already declared a hunger strike. The participants of the action demand that the Ukrainian consul come to them, that they be explained the reasons for their detention and given the opportunity to either leave the territory of Georgia or apply for international protection.

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