Page 13 - GEORptJul22

2.7 Kyiv accuses South Caucasian countries of helping Russia to evade sanctions
The intelligence service of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine has accused the South Caucasian countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia of negotiating with Moscow on the re-export of Russian products to international markets. “The supply [of Russian products] is planned under the guise of Georgian, Armenian and Azerbaijani products and then exported to third countries,” the intelligence service of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry reported on May 1. According to the agency, more than 200 companies have already been established in the countries of the South Caucasus.
The intelligence service also noted that Armenia creates favourable conditions for doing business with Russian companies, especially in the field of internet technologies (IT). “Since the beginning of Russia’s large-scale aggression against Ukraine, about 85,000 Russian citizens and 113 IT companies have arrived in Armenia,” the Ukrainian Intelligence Service said in a statement. "Russian citizens have created about 1,000 private enterprises and more than 250 LLCs in Armenia, paying taxes to the budgets of both countries - Armenia and Russia," the statement says.
Earlier in April, the intelligence service of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry said that Moscow was preparing a corridor for smuggling through Georgia. This accusation was rejected by the Georgian authorities. The intelligence service then also stated that representatives of the Georgian Security Service had been instructed by the political leadership not to interfere in the activities of the smugglers.
Georgian Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili refuted Kyiv's "completely incomprehensible" accusation that Georgia is negotiating with Russia on the re-export of Russian products on 2 May. According to the minister, this is the second time we hear such accusations from Kyiv, but "unfortunately, in this case, no additional information was provided on this statement." According to him, the Georgian authorities will ask Kyiv for additional information, "on the basis of which such statements are made."
The Azerbaijani and Armenian sides have not commented on the accusation yet.
According to experts, Georgia is already on its way to suffering economic damage due to sanctions. Amid criticism from Kyiv, Russia allowed the import of Georgian (along with China, Moldova, Serbia, Belarus and Azerbaijan) dairy products, which Tbilisi considered a good opportunity. Earlier, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said that Georgia would not join the sanctions, citing national interests and possible damage to Georgian producers. Garibashvili's decision drew sharp criticism from within the country, including from President Salome Zurabishvili.
13 GEORGIA Country Report July 2022 www.intellinews.com