Publication N8 / Review Period: March 1-31, 2022 / Author: Elene Mindiashvili

Monitoring of the Situation at the Occupation Line in the Tskhinvali Region is being prepared within the framework of the project - Roadmap to Kremlin's Policy in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region. The purpose of the publication is to review the situation and ongoing important developments near the occupation line in the Tskhinvali region. The review will be useful for everyone – decision-makers, public employees, media representatives and other people who are interested in the mentioned topic.

In March, activities along the occupation line near the Tskhinvali region fell sharply due to the Russian military aggression in Ukraine which started in late February. The “borderization” process, which has been in an active phase during the previous months, was suspended, therefore, information about the start/renewal of the “borderization” process and activities along the occupation line has not yet been disseminated in official sources.

Detained Citizens

Detention of Levan Machabeli

According to a statement of the so-called State Security Committee of the Republic of South Ossetia which was later confirmed by the State Security Service of Georgia (SSS), Levan Machabeli, a citizen of Georgia, was detained near the village of Kere (Gori municipality) on March 26. The village borders an occupied village of Goiata. According to the de facto Security Committee, the Georgian citizen illegally crossed the so-called state border of South Ossetia. The Georgian side assesses the mentioned action as a provocation, does not confirm the fact that the Georgian citizen crossed the occupation line and states that the Georgian central government activated all the mechanisms at its disposal to release illegally detained persons as soon as possible.

The de facto Security Committee accuses Machabeli of attempting sabotage. The Committee’s statement mentions an operative search operation conducted by the Ossetian side which revealed that the detained citizen is a former serviceman of the 3rd brigade of the Georgian Armed Forces and a participant in the 2008 war. The SSS does not confirm the information that the detained citizen is an active military.

According to the information disseminated by Radio Tavisufleba, Machabeli was alone in the village of Khurvaleti, Gori municipality, to hand over money collected for Data Vanishvili's family. According to his sister, Nina Machabeli, the occupation forces arrested him in the nearby fields.

Levan Machabeli. Source: radiotavisupleba.ge

Important Visits

On March 30, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office and the Polish Foreign Minister, together with the European Union Monitoring Mission, visited the occupation line in the village of Odzisi, Dusheti municipality. Marek Szczygieł, the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), briefed the guests about the problems and negative consequences for residents on both sides of the occupation line which followed the closure of the Odzisi checkpoint two and a half years ago.

International Visit to the Occupation Line. Source:  eumm.eu

Postponed Round of the Geneva International Discussions

The 56th round of the Geneva International Discussions which was scheduled for March 20-30, 2022, was postponed due to the ongoing hostilities in Ukraine. It is not yet known exactly when the meeting will take place, although the co-chairs' communication with all parties of the talks continues in a virtual mode.