Ukrainians Launch Hunger Strike at Russia-Georgia Border Amid Deportation Crisis and Conflicting Claims

TBILISI, August 11, 2025 – A humanitarian crisis is unfolding at the Dariali border crossing between Russia and Georgia, where dozens of Ukrainian nationals, deported from Russia, have been stranded for weeks. Five of these individuals launched a hunger strike on August 5, claiming they were denied entry into Georgia and held in "inhumane conditions" by Georgian border guards. While the hunger strike was called off on August 8, the fate of the remaining Ukrainians remains uncertain amidst conflicting statements from Kyiv and Tbilisi.

One of the hunger strikers, Sergei Larko, told Ekho kavkaza that he had been stuck at the crossing for nearly a month. He reported that Georgian authorities had refused them entry, rejected their asylum requests, and denied them legal assistance. Larko detailed a dire situation, stating that 97 people were held at the site in overcrowded conditions, with some suffering from HIV and tuberculosis. Larko himself was reportedly deported from Russia on June 21, and claims his passport was confiscated upon arrival in Georgia, with his biometric data taken on a questionable legal basis.

The demands of Larko and the other hunger strikers included access to the Ukrainian consul, clarity on the reasons for their detention, the right to voluntarily leave Georgia or apply for international protection, medical evaluations, and an end to what they described as unlawful detention.

The incident occurs amid reports that Russia has been releasing prisoners, originally sentenced in occupied parts of Ukraine, towards the Georgian border.

Ukrainian Readiness and Diplomatic Efforts

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declared its readiness to receive Ukrainian citizens deported by Russia and is actively working on their return from the Dariali checkpoint. This statement, released through Ukraine's Embassy in Georgia, came in response to a special briefing by Georgia's Ministry of Internal Affairs.

According to Ukraine's foreign ministry:

• A representative from Ukraine's Embassy in Georgia visited the Russia-Georgia border on the night of August 6-7 to meet with the stranded Ukrainian citizens. The diplomat informed them about measures taken by the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy to protect their rights and legal interests.

• On August 7, medical assistance was provided to three citizens, and appropriate medical protocols were established. An agreement was reached with the Georgian side to provide emergency medical assistance to Ukrainian citizens if needed.

• On August 8, a representative of the deported Ukrainians informed the Ukrainian Embassy that the hunger strike, which began on August 5, had ended. They also thanked the diplomatic mission for its efforts in resolving the humanitarian crisis, which they attribute to "artificially created actions" by the Russian side.

• Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andri Sibyha has reiterated calls for Russia to send deported Ukrainian citizens directly to the Ukrainian border with Russia or Belarus, stating that Ukraine is ready to receive them.

The Ukrainian side affirmed its active cooperation with official representatives of Georgia and Moldova to "unblock the transit route as quickly as possible and resolve all logistical and organisational obstacles". They also reminded that 44 Ukrainian citizens had their departure organised from the Dariali border crossing last month.

Georgian Accusations and Refusal of Entry

Conversely, Georgia's Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Alexander Darakhvelidze of the "Georgian Dream" party, held an emergency briefing on August 9, accusing Ukraine of prolonging the crisis at Dariali. Darakhvelidze suggested that "the artificial prolongation of the process raises suspicions that the Ukrainian side wants these people to remain in the so-called neutral zone for a long time so that the Georgian side is subsequently forced to admit them to the state border of Georgia".

Georgia has explicitly stated that it is not admitting these Ukrainian citizens due to "state security interests". On August 9, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs declared that 87 Ukrainian citizens are in the "neutral zone" at Dariali, asserting that they "have a severe criminal past, moreover, they do not have valid documents required for crossing the border and do not meet the criteria for admission to the state border of Georgia". These citizens, they confirmed, were deported by Russia and left at the Georgia-Russia border.