Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri refuted information from opposition representatives about a massive influx of Russians into the country. The minister's words on Tuesday, February 21, are quoted by Interfax.

“During the last year, from February 2022 to February 2023, 1,400,000 citizens of Russia and Belarus crossed the border, but of this number, only 869,000 citizens entered the territory of Georgia,” he said. Gomelauri specified that the rest are transit crossings, and those who pass through the border several times a day.

At the same time, out of 869 thousand Russians and Belarusians, 809 thousand returned back, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs noted.

Earlier, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili called the opposition a party of salesmen and war. According to him, since the beginning of hostilities in Ukraine, the opposition has been trying to arrange provocations by sending Georgian citizens of the country to participate in hostilities.

In November 2022, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili announced that more than 100,000 Russians had settled in the country. The head of the republic said that since September 21, 700,000 Russians have crossed the Russian-Georgian border. In addition, she clarified that the majority of Russian citizens remaining in Georgia are representatives of the middle class and young people.