Since start of Ukrainian conflict, 450 citizens of Ukraine asked for asylum in Georgia

About 450 citizens of Ukraine have appealed to the authorities of Georgia with requests for asylum, said Irakli Kokaya, the head of the Department for Repatriation and Refugees of the Ministry for the Matters of Refugees and Resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons from Occupied Territories.

"Because of the conflict in Ukraine, about 450 citizens of Ukraine have applied to our Ministry," Mr Kokaya said on February 13.

According to his story, the provision of the refugee status to Ukrainians is "made under a simplified procedure," namely, it is enough for them to present supporting documents that they have come from a conflict region.

Among refugees from Ukraine, there are ethnic Georgians, who had left Georgia and received Ukrainian citizenship, Irakli Kokaya stressed in his interview to the newspaper "Resonansi".

According to the Georgian MIA, only within two months of 2015, the Georgian border was crossed by 7350 citizens of Ukraine. If they want to get a special status, they need to get registered as asylum seekers. The decision is made within six months, the "News-Georgia" reports.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.