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Smuggling of explosives to Russia is attempt to drag Tbilisi in conflict — lawmaker

Irakli Zarkua did not rule out that more such incidents might occur in the future

TBILISI, February 5. /TASS/. The case concerning the transportation of explosives from Ukraine to Russia via Georgia is an attempt to involve Tbilisi in the Ukrainian conflict, the first deputy head of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on Regional Policy and Self-Government, Irakli Zarkua, has said.

"Whoever plotted this operation [the smuggling explosives into Russia - TASS), they were interested in upsetting peace in Georgia and somehow to involve us in this conflict," Zarkua told Georgia’s TV channel Imedi in an interview.

The politician did not rule out that more such incidents might occur in the future. He thanked the Georgian security services for timely thwarting the plot.

The state security service said earlier that the Georgian authorities had detained a cargo containing explosives that was transiting the country from Odessa to Voronezh via Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey. The explosive devices contained 14 kilograms of weapons-grade plastic explosive C-4. They can be set off with an electric fuse and a special timer.

The security service specified that seven citizens of Georgia, three citizens of Ukraine and two citizens of Armenia were involved in bringing the explosives into Georgia, while the transportation of explosives was organized by a citizen of Ukraine, candidate for a seat on the regional legislature of the Odessa Region from the ruling party Servant of the People in 2020 Andrey Sharashidze.

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