The Embassy of Ukraine is not ruling out the evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from Georgia if they are in danger in the event of resumption of direct flights between Moscow and Georgia, Andrii Kasianov, Chargé d’Affaires of Ukraine in Georgia, said in an interview with the Ukrainian publication Evropeyskaya Pravda.

“In case of the restoration of direct flights and an increase in real security risks, the embassy does not exclude the possibility of contacting international organizations and international partners to discuss the issue of facilitating the mass evacuation of Ukrainian citizens from Georgia. "But I emphasize - in case of real danger to their life and safety,” Kasyanov said.

“We will not sit idly by. We will work and do everything in our power to ensure the protection and safety of Ukrainian citizens. This is our top priority,” the diplomat added.

According to him, given "the anomalous influx" of Russian citizens to Georgia, the embassy is doing everything to facilitate the return of its citizens to Ukraine.

“Now we are considering the possibility of organizing special evacuation routes for the most vulnerable segments of the population of Ukraine, who have no way to return," he added.

Chairman of the Georgian Dream party Irakli Kobakhidze called Kasyanov's statement "speculative".

"We are used to such irrelevant statements from Kasyanov. This is a sad fact. I can say that Kasyanov would have needed to evacuate Ukrainians from Georgia if Georgia had sent Buk missiles to Ukraine. This would be Georgia's direct involvement in the military conflict. Kasyanov was calling us to join the war, and in this case we would have needed to evacuate not only Ukrainians, but also Georgians from Georgia. We have heard Kasyanov's statements regarding the second front and this is a continuation of that rhetoric.

Everyone knows that the resumption of flights has nothing to do with the influx of Russians into Georgia. We have already had three speculative campaigns in this regard - one was in March, the second was during the summer season and the third was after the announcement of mobilization, and we proved that all three were empty speculations. No risks have been created for the security of our country, including the security of Ukrainians living in Georgia. Kasyanov's statement today is a shameful speculative statement.

Flights have been unilaterally stopped by Russia, it was a sanction imposed by them, and if this sanction is canceled by the Russian Federation, it is their decision and we cannot make any decision about it. The only thing I can say once again is that, of course, such a decision will be a benefit for up to a million Georgians living in the Russian Federation." Kobakhidze said.

Some background: Speaking at the official press conference in Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov fielded a question from the Georgian ultra-right, pro-Russian media and political movement Alt-Info.

"[...] I am glad that we have people-to-people contacts with Georgia actively developing. Last year, I was told, Georgia’s GDP grew by 10% largely due to tourism and trade relations with the Russian Federation. Hopefully, we will have direct flights again soon… that’s about it…

But we see to what extent Georgia and virtually all countries are experiencing pressure from the West to join sanctions against Russia openly, and publicly. And the fact that a small country and its government have the courage to say – will be guided by our interests, by interests of our economy – commands respect," Lavrov said on January 19.

On January 20 Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili responded to Sergei Lavrov’s statement about the possible resumption of direct flights with Georgia and said that she “does not welcome it.”

According to the President, while all partner countries express solidarity with Ukraine, “the position of the [Georgian] government and the ruling party is absolutely unclear.”

The President denounced the government’s arguments that the resumption of flights will mitigate the problems of Georgians living in Russia, saying that despite her attempts she failed to achieve any results over “easing the criteria for granting the citizenship” that worries Georgian citizens living abroad, including in Russia, most of all.

"We should understand that Russia pushes such issues to the forefront when it hopes to drive the wedge between us and our western partners. Georgia should not fall for these old tricks," Zurabishvili said.

The President stressed that instead of discussing this issue, "it is necessary to seriously study the issue of Russian citizens’ inflow in Georgia so that the society has a feeling that its national interests and security are protected.”

"We need regulations in relation to labor rights, business registration, property acquisition, opening of Russian-language schools. Also, instead of restoring flights, the government should care about the country's reputation and give critical responses to all accusations voiced against the country, namely about bypassing the sanctions through Georgia. All this requires a serious state approach and denial of accusations, which will be categorical and supported by facts!" Zurabishvili added.