According to the Minister of Internal Affairs, Vakhtang Gomelauri, the rate of Russian citizens crossing the Georgian border this year is 50% lower compared to the same period of 2019.

As Gomelauri said in his speech at the "Minister's Hour" format, the facts of crossing the state border of Georgia by Russian citizens have increased from third countries.

"Speaking of the border, I would like to respond to the recent information about the crossing of the border by citizens of the Russian Federation. It is well-known that the border was largely closed due to the pandemic in 2020-2021. I will compare the analog periods of 2019 and 2022 and tell you that today this figure is 50 percent less.

The increase in the number of cases of crossing the state border of Georgia by the citizens of the Russian Federation is observed from third countries, which followed the closure of airspace for the Russian Federation by various countries.

Citizens of the Russian Federation, mainly ethnic North Caucasians, enter Georgia from the Republic of Turkey via the Sarpi checkpoint and return to Russia in transit via the Dariali border checkpoint," said the Interior Minister.