Ex-pres. Saakashvili claims he contributed to creation of Azov regiment in Ukraine

Georgia’s former President Mikheil Saakashvili, who holds Ukrainian citizenship and chaired the Executive Committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council before being arrested in Tbilisi last year, claims that he contributed to the creation of the Azov regiment in Ukraine which is now fighting against Russian troops. 

Attending a trial hearing in one of the criminal cases involving him, the third president named two Georgians who played “a key role” in the creation of the regiment through his support. 

“That time (back in 2014) I sent Gia Kuparashvili, who worked with me, to create the regiment. He [Kuparashvili] asked me for permission, then I met with then (Ukrainian) commander and we made plans together on how Georgians would help. After this Bakhva [Chikobava] arrived, who recently died heroically  (in Mariupol),” Saakashvili said. 

A few days ago, Sergey Korotikhi (Botsman) said that Azov was “actually founded” by him and two Georgian volunteers, Bakhva Chikobava and Giorgi Kuparashvili.

Chikobava died on March 19 while defending Mariupol.

Azov is currently a special purpose unit of the National Guard of Ukraine, an official government unit under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

The unit was initially formed as a volunteer group in May 2014 out of the ultra-nationalist Patriot of Ukraine gang, and the neo-Nazi Social National Assembly (SNA) group.

It is composed of about 900 fighters.