The Russian Prosecutor General's Office has accused the former Georgian Deputy Prime Minister of mercenarism.

Georgia's former Deputy Prime Minister and political secretary of the United National Movement, Giorgi Baramidze, has become a defendant in an in absentia criminal case being heard by a Russian court in Donetsk.

"Caucasian Knot" reported that Russian courts have repeatedly sentenced Georgian citizens in absentia on charges related to their participation in military operations against Russian troops in Ukraine. For example, in July, Zurab Karchava was sentenced in absentia to 6.5 years in prison. In November 2024, instant sentences were handed down against four Georgian National Legion fighters.

The Russian Prosecutor General's Office approved charges of mercenarism against former Georgian Deputy Prime Minister Giorgi Baramidze. The criminal case against the 57-year-old Georgian citizen has been sent to a Donetsk court, the agency's press service reported.

According to the prosecution, in February 2022, Baramidze arrived in Ukraine "as a mercenary," where he joined the Georgian National Legion.

After training in the use of combat weapons, combat techniques, strategy, and tactics, he "participated in combat operations against servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces until April 2022," according to a publication today on the website of the Russian Prosecutor General's Office.

Notably, the office describes the case somewhat differently on its official Telegram channel, downplaying the effectiveness of Baramidze's participation in the fighting. "Former Georgian Deputy Prime Minister Giorgi Baramidze arrived in Ukraine in February 2022 to check in on the combat zone. After taking several photographs with weapons and receiving a monetary reward, he returned home two months later," the publication states.

According to the Russian Prosecutor General's Office, Baramidze received a reward estimated by the agency at more than 238,000 rubles. How the investigation determined this amount in Russian currency is not specified.

"Baramidze has been placed on the international wanted list, and the court has ordered his pretrial detention in absentia," the Prosecutor General's Office said in a statement.

Georgiy Baramidze himself, upon learning of the charges in Russia, told reporters that it was no surprise to him.

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that in July, the Russian Investigative Committee reported the in absentia verdict against another Georgian citizen named Georgiy Baramidze. The 41-year-old man was sentenced in absentia to 14 years in prison on charges of mercenarism.