Ukraine evacuates 43 deportees held on Russian-Georgian border
At least 56 Ukrainians, mostly prisoners who completed their sentences and were subsequently ordered to leave Russia, were being held in a basement facility near the Russian-Georgian border, according to aid group Volunteers Tbilisi.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said 43 Ukrainians, many lacking documents, had been evacuated from Georgia via Moldova, "including former political prisoner Andrii Kolomiyets".
More people still remain in "difficult" conditions at the Russian-Georgian border, Sybiga said on X.
The treatment of those held at the border facility near the Dariali crossing is "inhumane", said Maria Belkina, the head of Volunteers Tbilisi.
"They are without basic necessities -- food, water, sanitation," she told AFP, adding that some of the deportees had medical conditions, including suspected tuberculosis and HIV.
Russia may be accelerating deportations ahead of expected changes to Georgian migration laws in September, which are aimed at tightening entries, she added.
While Georgia has not officially closed the border to Ukrainian nationals, Belkina said a recent policy shift has delayed entry.
"Russia is weaponizing the deportation of Ukrainian citizens through Georgia," Sybiga said, calling on Russia to transport the deportees directly to its border with Ukraine instead.
It was not clear how many people remained in the border facility, which only has 17 beds and no basic amenities and where some have been kept for weeks, according to Volunteers Tbilisi.
Rights groups estimate up to 800 more Ukrainians could be transferred to the border in the coming weeks.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
23 minutes ago
- IOL News
Hulk Hogan's controversial past: His racist remarks and support for Donald Trump
Professional entertainer and wrestler Hulk Hogan speaks on stage on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 18, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Delegates, politicians, and the Republican faithful are in Milwaukee for the annual convention, concluding with former President Donald Trump accepting his party's presidential nomination. Picture:/AFP As the tributes poured in for WWE legend Hulk Hogan, who died on Thursday, it's worth remembering the racist remarks he made in 2015. He was 71. In leaked transcripts from a sex tape in 2015, it was revealed that he used the N-word in reference to his daughter's choice of partner or partners. Following the expose carried out by the National Enquirer and Radar Online, the WWE terminated his contract and removed him from its Hall of Fame. Hogan would go on to apologise for his remarks, saying it was a low point in his life as he insisted he was not racist.
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Thailand and Cambodia's deadly border dispute: What We Know
Evacuees line up for food they take shelter in a gymnasium on the grounds of Surindra Rajabhat University in the Thai border province of Surin on July 25, 2025. More than 100,000 people have fled the bloodiest border fighting between Thailand and Cambodia in a decade, Bangkok said on July 25, as the death toll rose rises and international powers urged a halt to hostilities. (Photo by Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP Thailand said on Friday it has evacuated more than 100,000 people along the Cambodian border as the two countries fight their bloodiest military clashes in over a decade. The interior ministry said 100,672 people from four border provinces had been moved to shelters, while the health ministry announced that the death toll had risen to 14. Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodian military targets on Thursday as Cambodia fired rockets and artillery, in a sharp escalation of a long-running border dispute. The two countries are locked in a bitter feud over parts of the Emerald Triangle, where their borders meet Laos and several ancient temples stand. How did it start? The territorial row has dragged on for decades, but the latest flare-up between the two countries began with military border clashes in May that left one Cambodian soldier dead. Since then, the two sides have hit each other with retaliatory measures, with Thailand restricting border crossings and Cambodia halting certain imports. Five members of a Thai military patrol were wounded by a landmine blast on Wednesday in the Nam Yuen district of northeastern Ubon Ratchathani province, according to the Thai army. The Thai Ministry of Public Health said Thursday that at least 11 civilians had been killed in cross-border strikes by Cambodia. A spokesperson for Cambodia's defence ministry declined to comment on Thursday when asked about casualties on its side. What happened? The conflict blazed on Thursday as Cambodia fired rockets and artillery into Thailand, and Thai F-16s carried out strikes on two Cambodian military targets, officials said. A Cambodian shell hit a Thai house, killing one civilian and wounding three, including a five-year-old. The clashes erupted near two temples on the border between the Thai province of Surin and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey, with both sides trading blame. Thailand condemned Cambodia as "inhumane, brutal and war-hungry", accusing it of targeting homes and civilian infrastructure. What is the state of diplomacy? The violence came hours after Thailand expelled the Cambodian ambassador and recalled its own envoy in protest after the landmine injuries. Thailand's embassy in Phnom Penh urged its nationals to leave Cambodia "as soon as possible" unless they had urgent reasons to remain. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet on Thursday requested the UN Security Council convene an "urgent meeting" to address what his foreign ministry called "unprovoked military aggression". China, a close ally of Cambodia, said it was "deeply concerned" about the clashes, calling for dialogue. Anwar Ibrahim, the prime minister of Malaysia, which currently chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, called on its fellow ASEAN members, Thailand and Cambodia, to "stand down". Thai political crisis? The border dispute has also triggered a domestic political crisis in Thailand, where Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended from office pending an ethics probe over her conduct. In an attempt to defuse the row, Paetongtarn held a diplomatic call with Hun Sen, Cambodia's former longtime ruler and father of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. The phone call was leaked from the Cambodian side last month, sparking a judicial investigation. Cambodia's future conscripts? Hun Manet announced this month that Cambodia would start conscripting civilians next year, activating a long-dormant mandatory draft law. He cited rising tensions with Thailand for the decision. Cambodia's conscription law dates back to 2006 but has never been enforced. Hun Manet has proposed conscripts serve for two years to bolster the country's 200,000 personnel, requiring citizens aged 18 to 30 to enlist in the military. AFP
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
World reacts to France's move to recognise State of Palestine
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will officially recognise the Palestinian state, the French President Emmanuel Macron announced on July 24, 2025. France will formally recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, President Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday. The moves takes to at least 142 the number of countries that now recognise or plan to recognise Palestinian statehood, according to an AFP tally, defying strong opposition from Israel and the United States. France would become the most significant European power to recognise a Palestinian state, and the first among the G7 wealthy democracies to do so. Here is how countries are reacting: United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded angrily to Macron's announcement, calling it a "reckless decision". "This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th," Rubio wrote on X, alluding to the Hamas attack on Israel in 2023 that triggered the war in Gaza. Israel Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the move "rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became." "A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it," he said. Spain Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose country already recognises Palestinian statehood, welcomed Macron's announcement. "Together, we must protect what Netanyahu is trying to destroy. The two-state solution is the only solution," said the Socialist leader and outspoken critic of Israel's offensive in Gaza. Saudi Arabia The Saudi Foreign Ministry welcomed Macron's "historic decision". "The Kingdom reiterates its call for all countries that have not yet recognised the State of Palestine to take similar positive steps and adopt serious positions that support peace and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people." Jordan Jordan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed appreciation for Macron's decision. "This is a step in the right direction toward the realisation of the two-state solution and the end of the occupation," ministry spokesperson Sufian Qudah said in a statement. Palestinian Authority Senior Palestinian Authority official Hussein al-Sheikh welcomed the move, saying it "reflects France's commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people's rights to self-determination and the establishment of our independent state." Hamas Palestinian militant group Hamas hailed Macron's pledge as a "positive step in the right direction toward doing justice to our oppressed Palestinian people and supporting their legitimate right to self-determination." "We call on all countries of the world - especially European nations and those that have not yet recognised the State of Palestine – to follow France's lead," it added. AFP
