The president of Georgia deplores the acts of sabotage that took place earlier today on the territory of the Russian federation, simultaneously interrupting gas and electricity supplies to Georgia.
While the acts remain under investigation, several circumstances raise serious questions for the authorities in the Russian federation. The explosions took place at roughly the same time in areas more than 350 km apart. Specifically, the gas pipeline explosions took place in a border area with the heavy presence of Russian security services and under strict Russian control. The explosions took place in a section of the pipe that did not disrupt supplies to Russian consumers - only disrupting supplies to Georgia which is 100% dependent on gas imports from Russia.

Georgia is not aware of any past or present armed or unlawful formations interested in, or capable of committing organized acts of this nature and has never received threats of this nature in the past.

Georgia has unfortunately faced politically motivated disruptions of energy supplies in the past and received numerous veiled and direct threats from a spectrum of political actors in the Russian federation, warning of the possibility of renewed energy disruptions this winter, notwithstanding recent agreements signed between Gazprom and Georgia to double the price of imported natural gas.

Georgia deplores the use of energy security as a tool to punish or otherwise influence the political development of independent nations that border the Russian federation, and further expresses its concern over the long-term reliability of Russian energy suppliers to satisfy the needs of local, and European markets.

Communications Office
of the President of Georgia