Ex-Pres Saakashvili says arrest of former Security Chief sends message to both Russia, US

Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has commented on the arrest of former State Security Service head Grigol Liluashvili, claiming the move sends a political message to both Moscow and Washington.

In a post on social media, Saakashvili wrote that by detaining Liluashvili, ruling party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili is signaling to both Russia and the United States that he remains fully in control of the situation in Georgia and will not tolerate any actions taken behind his back.

Saakashvili said Liluashvili was a key contact with Russia’s Federal Security Service, particularly with General Sergey Beseda, the official responsible for overseeing the post-Soviet space. Saakashvili claims that Liluashvili personally brought Beseda to Mtskheta for an informal visit and that Russian services provided Liluashvili with information about Saakashvili’s whereabouts in 2021.

Saakashvili also alleges that Liluashvili carried out certain assignments on behalf of US partners related to contacts with Iranian and Islamist actors, which, he claims, explains why Liluashvili was not previously sanctioned.

“Now Ivanishvili is showing both Russians and Americans that he controls the situation in the country and that any attempt to act behind his back or undermine the oligarch will be met with resistance,” Saakashvili wrote. He added that Russia, in turn, is dissatisfied with Ivanishvili for failing to fully deliver on promises and for being unable to completely suppress protests in Georgia.

Earlier, Georgia’s Prosecutor General’s Office announced the arrest of Liluashvili. He is charged for accepting a particularly large bribe by an organised group.

The charges carry a prison sentence of 11 to 15 years.