Sixty-five Ukrainian citizens stranded at the Dariali border checkpoint have voluntarily returned home via a charter flight through a third country. Such a statement was released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs [MIA] of Georgia.

"The MIA ensured the transfer of Ukrainian citizens from the Dariali border checkpoint to Tbilisi International Airport, where they were handed over to representatives of Ukraine`s law enforcement agencies. Ukrainian officials, in turn, facilitated the boarding of Ukrainian citizens onto the aircraft and provided escort during their charter flight journey.

It should be noted that a certain number of individuals remain at Georgia`s state border, and the Georgian side continues intensive negotiations with Ukrainian authorities and international organizations regarding their organised, safe, and voluntary return to their homeland.

We hope that the process concerning those remaining at the border will not be prolonged further and that they will be able to return to their homeland in due course and shortly.

MIA once again expresses complete readiness to implement all appropriate measures within its competence and assist the Ukrainian side in the process of returning individuals stalled at Georgia`s state border to their homeland.

As is publicly known, 87 individuals arriving from the Russian Federation were present in the so-called neutral zone of the Dariali border crossing. They were attempting to cross Georgia’s state border using invalid documents and claimed to be Ukrainian citizens.

Due to state security interests, these individuals were not permitted entry into the country, as all of them have serious criminal backgrounds and have been convicted multiple times of grave or particularly grave crimes. Furthermore, they lacked the valid documents required for border crossing and did not meet Georgia`s state border admission criteria.

Over recent months, the Georgian side has held numerous working meetings both with Ukraine`s Embassy in Georgia and with representatives of international organisations. To resolve this matter, Georgia`s police attaché network was also employed, within the framework of which communication took place between Georgia`s police attaché in Ukraine and Ukraine`s MIA.

Georgia`s MIA, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all relevant state agencies, within their respective competencies, is taking necessary measures to ensure both the security of Georgia`s population and the timely return of persons remaining in the "neutral zone" to their homeland", - reads the statement.