Gulbaat Rtskhiladze, head of the Kremlin-affiliated Eurasia Institute, was arrested by the SSSG on suspicion of spying for two foreign countries. He is accused of collecting and transmitting intelligence-related information for years.

The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) said it arrested a Georgian citizen, later identified as Gulbaat Rtskhiladze, head of a Kremlin-affiliated non-governmental organization, on allegations of spying for the intelligence services of two countries. The countries allegedly involved have not been officially named. Gulbaat Rtskhiladze is a pro-Russian figure and the founder and head of the Eurasia Institute, a Kremlin-affiliated non-governmental organization. According to a 2025 investigative report by iFact, Eurasia Institute has been funded by Pravfond, a Kremlin-backed foundation accused of advancing Russian geopolitical interests, since 2020. The organization has held several conferences on Georgia-Russia relations. Rtskhiladze’s arrest came a week after the Eurasia Institute established a “Council for Monitoring Russophobia” in Georgia. In its initial statement, the agency had described the detainee only as the “founder and head of one of the non-governmental organizations.” He was only later identified by media outlets, with the SSSG confirming he was Gulbaat Rtskhiladze. SSSG Statement In a May 30 briefing, the First Deputy Head of the SSSG, Lasha Maghradze, said the suspect “had for years systematically carried out the collection and transmission of intelligence-related information to the special services of foreign countries, for the purpose of obtaining material benefit and pursuing the interests of a foreign state.” “The detainee had highly organized, conspiratorial, systematic contacts with representatives of foreign intelligence services,” Maghradze said, adding, “The transfer of information was carried out both through face-to-face meetings and electronic means. In addition, meetings were periodically held outside the country for the purpose of maintaining secrecy and conducting instructions.” The suspect “had created information platforms on the instructions and with the funding of foreign intelligence services to carry out related activities, and had also organized various events across the country,” the SSSG official added, stressing that the detainee “simultaneously cooperated” with the intelligence services of two countries, carrying out what he described as “parallel intelligence activities.” The investigation is ongoing under Article 314 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns “espionage” and is punishable by eight to twelve years’ imprisonment. The announcement follows several similar cases in recent weeks. On April 22, the SSSG said it arrested a Georgian man later identified as a resident of occupied Akhalgori, Tamaz Goloev, who, according to pro-government media and official allusions, allegedly spied for Russian intelligence. On May 5, the SSSG announced the arrest of an official, Giorgi Udzilauri, whom the agency said spied for “one of the European countries,” without naming it. Udzilauri had previously worked for Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Cartu Group. Last updated on May 30 at 13:22 Also Read: 25/04/2026 – Former Employee Arrested on Accusations of ‘Taking Out Classified Information’ From SSSG 25/04/2026 – Tskhinvali Condemns SSSG’s Arrest of Akhalgori Resident on Spying Charges This post is also available in: ქართული Espionage State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) Copy URL