Russian MP Slutsky hails Saakashvili verdict as ‘lesson for Zelenskyy’

A senior Russian lawmaker has described the sentencing of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to additional nine years by Georgian Dream authorities as a “lesson” for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other leaders he accused of “trading in sovereignty.”

Leonid Slutsky, Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Russian State Duma, said the ruling should serve as a warning to those who, in his words, promote “Russophobia” and “sacrifice independence for foreign influence.” His remarks were widely disseminated by Russian state-affiliated media.

“This is a lesson for everyone who is ready to trade Russophobia, state sovereignty and independence for 30 pieces of silver. First of all, this is a lesson for the entire Ukrainian junta and its leader Zelenskyy,” Slutsky was quoted as saying.

His comments follow the Tbilisi City Court’s decision this week to sentence Saakashvili to nine years in prison in connection with the embezzlement of state funds while in office, in what is commonly referred to as the jacket case.

Saakashvili, who served as Georgia’s president from 2004 to 2013, has long been a controversial figure in the country’s politics. His supporters argue that the charges against him were politically motivated, while critics cite alleged abuses of power during his tenure.

Slutsky also took aim at the United States, claiming that millions of dollars had been funneled into Georgia to build an “anti-Russian springboard” in the Caucasus, but asserted that the Georgian people had rejected such efforts.