Khatia Shamanauri

Freelance Journalist

How Putin's wars affect his approval rating?

* Red areas mark the start of aggressive Russian military activities and the period of radical decisions taken by Putin

In August and September 1999, Putin ordered bombing raids against Chechnya followed by a land offensive In August 2008, Russian forces began the invasion of Georgia and launched air attacks throughout the country In February and March 2014, Russia invaded and subsequently annexed Crimean peninsula from Ukraine In February 2022, Russia launched an invasion on Ukraine. The war i
Eurasianet •

Georgia-Russia trade ties expand amid Ukraine war

While many countries are cutting business links with Russia, Georgia has ramped up Russian imports to record highs this year. Economists believe Georgian buyers are taking advantage of weak demand for Russian commodities and snapping up bargains.

Imports from Russia grew 74 percent year-on-year in the first 10 months of 2022, the latest data from Georgia's National Statistics Office show, continuing a decade-long trend as business ties slowly recovered after the 2008 war.

Purchases of oil, ref
The Telegraph •

‘They told my mother I died, but I was stolen and sold’

On a cold December day in 1990, Irma Dvalishvili gave birth to twin girls in the maternity hospital in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Irma vividly recalls the doctor telling her that both girls were healthy, but the following day the family learned that one of the twins had died. Different doctors cited different reasons. The hospital initially refused to give the body to the family, but after much pleading a wrapped infant was eventually handed over. Yet no-one checked the baby’s identity. At
The Telegraph •

‘Our son was returned to us in a body bag with someone else’s nose’

When Archil Tatunashvili’s body was returned to Georgia in March 2018 – a whole month after he had been kidnapped and murdered within Russian-occupied territory – doctors revealed that many of his internal organs had been removed. Archil’s father said the body “returned with someone else’s nose,” while the autopsy concluded that more than 100 injuries had been inflicted on the 35-year-old former soldier before he was eventually killed. “What happened to him showed how inhumane the Russian occupa
Equal Times •

After fleeing war in Ukraine, many African and Asian students are relocating to Georgia

Ahammed Nashath, photographed here outside the Abo of Tbilisi monument in the Georgian capital on 2 March 2023, is one of over 25,000 international students currently studying in the South Caucasian nation.

Megha Krishna, a 23-year-old student from India, was in her third year at Ternopil National Medical University in Ukraine, when on 24 February 2022, Russia invaded the country. “The war started the day before my birthday. This was very unfortunate. Every day before my birthday, I’ll remember

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