Kremlin draws parallels between protests in Georgia and the Maidan coup

The ongoing anti-government protests in Georgia bear resemblance to the 2014 Maidan coup in Ukraine, which was supported by Western powers, and exhibit characteristics of a potential “orange revolution,” according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who spoke to reporters on Monday.

Since Thursday, Tbilisi has experienced intense protests triggered by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement to suspend EU accession discussions until 2028. He attributed this decision to what he described as Brussels’ “constant blackmail and manipulation” of Georgia’s internal affairs.

Pro-EU protesters have engaged in repeated confrontations with law enforcement, utilizing fireworks and Molotov cocktails against riot police, who have responded with tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds. Reports indicate that over 250 individuals have been arrested.

In his remarks regarding the situation in Georgia, Peskov noted an “obvious attempt to destabilize the situation,” drawing parallels to similar occurrences in various countries in recent years. He specifically referenced the Maidan events in Ukraine, which led to the ousting of the democratically-elected president and contributed to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Peskov remarked that the protests in Georgia exhibit “all the signs of an attempt to carry out an ‘orange revolution.'”

Nevertheless, he emphasized that “everything that happens in Georgia is Georgia’s internal affair,” asserting that Moscow would refrain from interference as the country’s authorities work to restore stability.

Prime Minister Kobakhidze has condemned the protests as an “assault on the constitutional order of the nation” and attributed the civil disturbances to “EU politicians and their affiliates.” He further accused Western powers of attempting to instigate a coup akin to the US-supported Maidan revolution in Ukraine.

Kobakhidze emphasized that “unlike Ukraine in 2013, Georgia is a sovereign nation with robust institutions and, crucially, knowledgeable and prudent citizens. The Maidan scenario is not feasible in Georgia. Georgia is an independent state and will not permit this.”

In response to Georgia’s decision to halt EU accession discussions, the United States has suspended its strategic partnership with the country, denouncing the action as a “betrayal of the Georgian constitution.”

Additionally, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has indicated that sanctions against Tbilisi are under consideration due to its response to the protests.