7 citizens of Georgia were involved in bringing 14 kg of explosive devices recovered by the Counter-Terrorist Center to Georgia, moving them across the country, transiting one of the containers to Russia, and placing the other one in the capital. The relevant statement was made at the briefing in the State Security Service of Georgia [SSSG].

“The Counter-Terrorist Center of the SSSG, as a result of operational search and investigative activities, removed several units of special explosive devices and a large amount of explosives.

As part of the investigative actions, based on the preliminary operational information, as a result of the search of a specific motor vehicle by the employees of the counter-terrorist center, two units of accumulators intended for an electric car were removed. Existing batteries were used as containers.

Both of them contained a total of 6 special explosive devices. Explosive devices and substances were removed from the containers by a special demining group, which were sent to the Expert-Criminal Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for examination.

In order to ensure covert investigative and operational measures, the mentioned containers were returned to their original visual appearance and the so-called in the form of mock-ups, they were again returned to the above-mentioned package, so that the secret investigative activities carried out would not become known to both the customers and the performers.

The process of further movement of the package was, of course, controlled by the counter-terrorist center employees. The main goal of the aforementioned investigative activities was to determine the orderers and additional persons who might have been involved in the transportation of the mentioned cargo, as well as to determine the route of movement of explosive devices and their final use goals.

It is determined that the explosive devices contain military-grade plastic explosive C-4, which can be activated by means of an electric detonator and a special timer. The total weight of the explosive substance reaches 14 kg. 6 units of detonators and 6 units of special keys were also placed in the containers. The same number of electronic activation timers were installed in all 6 individual boxes of the explosive device, in which the activation time was already programmed.

As a result of the initial study of the recovered devices, it was determined that all 6 devices were manufactured by a high-level specialist and were designed for a wide radius of damage. Deploying such a device in crowded areas would cause significant damage to infrastructure and large-scale casualties. The charge of the mentioned substance is much more powerful than the charge of the explosive TNT.

As a result of the complex actions carried out by the Counter-Terrorist Center, on the basis of the testimonies of the interviewed witnesses and the recovered audio files, it is established that the mentioned explosive devices and substances were brought from Odesa, Ukraine, through Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey to Georgia on January 19, 2024 through the checkpoint “Sarfi” in a minivan owned by a citizen of Ukraine. type of car and it was planned to take it to Russia, specifically in the city of Voronezh, through the checkpoint “Dariali”.

Later, at the request of the customer, the decision was changed and the persons involved in the process tried to take one of the containers, where three explosive devices were placed, out of the country from the mentioned point. And the second container with three explosive devices was left at a specific address in Tbilisi. The said message was stopped and removed by the employees of the counter-terrorist center when it was supposed to cross the Georgian-Russian state border from the Georgian side.

As a result of the operational search and investigative actions carried out by the State Security Service, it was determined that 7 people from Georgia, 3 from Ukraine and 2 from Armenia were involved in the importation of the mentioned explosive devices into Georgia, their movement throughout the country, the transiting of one of the containers in the direction of Russia, and the placement of the other one in the capital. citizen.

According to the materials of the case, the process mentioned was organized by the citizen of Ukraine, the candidate for deputy of the Kiev district of the local Rada of Odesa district in 2020 from the party “Servant of the people” Andrey Sharashidze, who is originally from the city of Batumi.

The mentioned person actively monitored the movement of the above-mentioned explosive devices from outside Georgia. The investigation also determined that the above-mentioned persons, except for Sharashidze, probably did not know about the explosive devices and capsule detonators placed in the car’s batteries.

Currently, active investigative and operational activities are being carried out in order to inform the persons involved in criminal activities, to make special explosive devices, to determine the route of movement, the final destination, to identify the objects of the attack and to obtain evidence.

As for the 3 explosive devices left in Tbilisi - were they intended to be exported to Russia or should they have remained in Georgia to be used in action, the ongoing investigation will determine this. However, the details of the mentioned case and the factual situation give reason to suspect that the use of the territory of Georgia and the large involvement of Georgian citizens in this process served to create the opinion that Georgia would be blamed both in planning and implementation in the terrorist acts, which would be carried out in Georgia or abroad.

Regarding the fact, the Counter-Terrorist Center of the SSSG is conducting an investigation under the 3rd part of Article 236 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to the illegal acquisition and storage of explosive substances and explosive devices.

This crime is punishable by 3 to 6 years of imprisonment. However, in the course of the investigation, the qualifications may be clarified and the investigation will continue under Article 18-323, which implies the preparation of a terrorist act. This crime is punishable by ten to fifteen years of imprisonment.

We thank the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs for their assistance in the ongoing complex measures in this case”, - says the SSSG.