On May 6, 2023, Russian-language media (pravda.ru, rambler.ru) published a video featuring three masked persons addressing “Russian pigs” and promising to dance on their graves. Masked persons, who wear the chevrons of the Georgian Legion fighting in Ukraine, threaten civilians living in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali with violence, and rape women and children.
The video was also shared on the Instagram page golos_abkhazii.
The video circulating in the Russian-language media has nothing to do with the Georgian Legion fighting in Ukraine. Mamuka Mamulashvili, the commander of the Georgian Legion in Ukraine, also denied the connection of the mentioned persons with the Georgian Legion.
It is impossible to identify the persons featured in the video released on May 7, 2023, as they are wearing masks, and only their eyes are visible. They have the chevrons of the Georgian Legion fighting in Ukraine attached to their chests; however, according to the commander of the Legion, Mamuka Mamulashvili, the mentioned persons have nothing to do with the Georgian Legion fighting in Ukraine, and the distribution of the video is another attempt by Russia to discredit the “Georgian Legion.”
Notably, the person depicted in the video cannot speak Georgian properly, making it clear that Georgian is not his native language. In addition, the masked person violates the morphology of Georgian grammar and does not use the words “Russian pigs” and “Ukrainian attack”correctly.
Since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war, “Myth Detector” has repeatedly verified false claims that aimed to discredit Georgians fighting in Ukraine and members of the Georgian Legion; see the articles in detail:
- Kremlin Media Disseminates False Information About the Elimination of 15 Members of the Georgian Legion
- Disinformation about the Imprisonment of the Georgian Women Fighting in Ukraine (in Georgian)
- Disinformation of the Russian Media about the Elimination of the Georgian Legion (in Georgian)
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