It is impossible that the complaints about Russophobia in occupied Georgia a few days before August 7 are accidental, this is a targeted, another mental and propaganda special operation against the Georgian people - Irakli Pavlenishvili

According to one of the leaders of the "United National Movement", Irakli Pavlenishvili, the statements made by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze about "Russophobia" in Georgia after the 2008 war serve the interests of the Kremlin and the spread of such a narrative before the anniversary of the August war is a deliberate propaganda campaign.

According to Pavlenishvili, the talk about Russophobia in the occupied country a few days before August 7 cannot be accidental and is aimed at weakening the anti-occupation sentiments of Georgian society.

“The spread of this narrative shortly before the anniversary of the August War is exactly what the Kremlin must be preparing and inciting. It is impossible that the complaints about Russophobia in occupied Georgia a few days before August 7 are accidental; this is a targeted, yet another mental and propaganda special operation against the Georgian people, although they must accept that the anti-occupation sentiments among the Georgian people will neither be silenced nor destroyed,” Pavlenishvili states.

According to him, Mikheil Saakashvili is known internationally as one of Vladimir Putin’s harshest critics, so linking him to a different policy towards Russia is “completely inadequate propaganda.”

Pavlenishvili also stated that after the 2008 war, the Georgian government worked to strengthen the policy of non-recognition and tried to show that it did not have a xenophobic attitude towards the Russian population. According to him, the then government was criticized precisely for its excessive “xenophobic” rhetoric, and now the same political forces are spreading the opposite narrative.

According to the opposition politician, at that time it was vital for Georgia to show the international community that it did not have an aggressive attitude towards the Russian population, despite the fact that the country was occupied by Russia.

For information, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated on social media that people who are today’s “main Russophobes” welcomed Russian tourists, Russian capital, and the deepening of economic and cultural relations between the two countries in Georgia shortly after the end of the August war.