UK Sanctions Former Georgian Prosecutor Otar Partskhaladze and Politician Levan Vasadze for Pro-Russian Activities
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, September 22, 2025
The United Kingdom has imposed sanctions on two Georgia-linked figures, former Prosecutor-General Otar Partskhaladze and ultra-conservative politician Levan Vasadze, citing their support for Russia's war in Ukraine. The measures include an asset freeze, travel ban, director disqualification, and restrictions on trust services.
Partskhaladze, once considered close to Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili and reportedly a Russian citizen, was previously sanctioned by the United States for alleged ties to Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB). Vasadze, a former right-wing political activist known for his ultra conservative views and his connections in Russia, has kept a low profile since 2021, saying he was undergoing medical treatment in Moscow.
"Latest UK sanctions target Georgia's hidden supporters of Russia," the British government said in a September 19 press release. The statement linked the decision to "increasing Russian influence in Georgia" and described the move as tightening "pressure on Russia's international support network."
According to the UK sanctions database, Partskhaladze was targeted for his role as a director of Moscow Business Brokerage, a company operating in Russia's financial and construction sectors, which London described as being of "strategic significance" to the Kremlin. Vasadze was listed for using his media platforms to spread "pro-Russian disinformation" and for actions undermining Ukraine's sovereignty.
"Putin's war machine relies on an international web to spread lies and fund this network," said Stephen Doughty, UK Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories. "We're cutting off another lifeline by targeting and deterring those in Georgia who provide support for Putin's illegal war in Ukraine."
In addition to sanctioning the two men, British authorities also blacklisted two oil tankers accused of transporting Russian oil through the Georgian port of Batumi as part of Moscow's so-called "shadow fleet." The tankers are now barred from UK ports and from access to the UK Ship Register.
The UK government noted that the sanctions come against the backdrop of what it called a democratic backslide in Georgia. The statement recalled that London downgraded diplomatic ties with Tbilisi in 2024 following the Georgian Dream government's adoption of "Kremlin-inspired laws," crackdowns on civil society, and the imprisonment of opposition figures.
This latest move follows several rounds of British sanctions against Georgian officials in 2024. In April, London sanctioned four officials, including the then-prosecutor general, over human rights abuses, as well as two senior judges accused of corruption. In December, five senior Interior Ministry officials, including then-Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri, were sanctioned for their role in the violent suppression of demonstrators, media, and opposition groups.
