United National Movement visited Ukraine
Nika Melia, the Chair of the United National Movement, MP Koba Nakopia, politician Eka Kherkheulidze, and ex-President Giorgi Margvelashvili visited Ukraine. The group visited Bucha, as well as Kyiv to speak with members of the Verkhovna Rada.
Melia told reporters in Bucha, "we have not visited these cities just to emphasise that what Russia is doing is genocide. We want to reawaken the hope and excitement that Ukraine will triumph."
"Ukraine has already become a symbol of resistance against sadism, evil, and brutality," he declared, "but in a short time, Ukraine will become a sign of triumph over this cruelty, savagery, and evil."
Ex-President Margvelashvili stated late that the trip was inspired by "the shared spirit, common passion that unifies Georgian society, which is standing with Ukraine." Margvelashvili called Russia's ruthless invasion of Ukraine genocide.
Both UNM's fellow opposition parties and the government-critical TV Pirveli slammed the covertly planned trip to Ukraine.
Nodar Meladze, the head of TV Pirveli's News Service, alleged that the UNM leadership "concealed" the visit from his network. "This is the first time the opposition withholds material from critical media that is not influenced by political considerations." Meladze said that such techniques were previously used by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Deputy Prime Minister Tea Tsulukiani. "It doesn't matter who does it, whether it's the opposition or the government," he said, "critical media and any journalist must be able to receive and share information."