On February 20th, 2022, the online publication “Info Analytical” published an article regarding the U.S. Ambassador to Georgia, Kelly Degnan, with the following headline: “Under the leadership of “perverted Kelly” [Degnan], anti-U.S. sentiments in Georgia rose to the highest degree.” The article stated that Degnan fled the country, which “can be considered a victory for the Georgian people.” According to the publication, the Biden administration decided to “evacuate the ambassador from Georgia” due to increased anti-U.S. sentiments, and the acting ambassador’s February 19th address indicates a change in rhetoric, making it clear that “Americans would have to use vaseline in their relations with the Georgian people.” [Implying that the US-side has to pay lip service to the Georgian people’s interests]
The claim that the Biden administration evacuated Kelly Degnan from Georgia is false. In fact, according to the U.S. Embassy, Kelly Degnan has left for Washington temporarily to attend a regular meeting.
On February 19th, the official Facebook page of the U.S. Embassy in Georgia posted a video of the deputy chief of mission, Rian Harris, speaking in Georgian, where she reviewed the ongoing processes in the region and addressed the growing threats posed by Russia.
The online outlet “Accentnews.ge” contacted the U.S. Embassy to get more information about Kelly Degnan’s whereabouts. The embassy clarified that Degnan was in Washington for regular meetings with representatives of the U.S. Government and the State Department.
The U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi: “Ambassador Degnan is in Washington for regular meetings with State Department and senior U.S. government officials.”
According to the diplomatic protocol, the deputy chief of mission is chargé d’affaires ad interim in the ambassador’s absence.
Disinformation about the expulsion of Kelly Degnan from Georgia has been disseminated in the past as well. For more, see the article prepared by “Myth Detector:”
- Disinformation Regarding the Alleged Expulsion of the U.S. Ambassador from Georgia
About the Source
“Info Analitycal” publishes articles of Irakli Jankarashvili, a supporter of the “Alliance of Patriots” party and one of the authors of the pro-Russian publication “Tvalsazrisi.” The website has been active since February 12th, 2022.
Irakli Jankarashvili shared the disinformation about Kelly Degnan’s alleged evacuation in several political and pro-Russian content groups, including Грузины в России , “მოქალაქე” “ლევან ვასაძის მხარდამჭერები levan vasadze,” “საქართველოს პატრიოტთა ალიანსის მხარდამჭერთა ჯგუფი,” “ლევან ვასაძე – ერთობა, რაობა, იმედი (მხარდამჭერთა ჯგუფი), “გახარია საქართველოსთვის 25” and ბაკურ სვანიძის ინტერნეტ-TV და მეგობარი საიტები (ახალი ლინკები).
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