Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri Thursday expressed support to the Ukrainian people amid the ongoing war by Russia.

In his address to the Parliament, the Minister stressed the international community and world leaders must try hard to end the war soon.

“Ukraine developments are extremely complex as the civilians are suffering, children, women, the elderly die, cities are being bombed, the number of casualties is high. The Georgian government supports Ukraine politically at all international levels, at the same time, Georgia is sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine uninterruptedly,” Gomelauri asserted.

Within the Minister’s Hour format, Gomelauri pledged the Interior Ministry, within its remit, spares no effort to maintain law and order in the country. He stressed the border checks and the so-called green border is being secured.

Interior Minister also responded to the rumours over the recent Russian influx in Georgia amid the invasion of Ukraine. Referring to the border shut down in 2020-2021 in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, he provided the 2019 data, suggesting that the number of visits in 2022 is 50% lower year on year.

“Russian citizens are arriving here from third countries as many European countries blocked airspace for Russian flights. Russian citizens, mainly ethnic North Caucasians, enter Georgia from Turkey via the Sarpi checkpoint and return to Russia in transit via the Dariali border checkpoint,” the Interior Minister added.