After the onset of the war in Ukraine, Davit Khidasheli, the partner of sanctioned Russian oligarch Vladimir Yevtushenkov, served as an advisor to the Defense Ministry of Georgia from 2020 to February 9, 2024. Throughout this period, the defense ministers were Irakli Gharibashvili and Juansher Burchuladze.
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Irakli Gharibashvili has served as the defense minister since September 2019. Following his appointment as Prime Minister, Juansher Burchuladze assumed the role of Defense Minister.
"Regarding the information circulating in the media concerning Davit Khidasheli's advisory role at the Defense Ministry, we would like to provide a comprehensive update to the public. From 2020 to February 9, 2024, Davit Khidasheli served as an advisor at the Defense Ministry. Following the suspension of the current Defense Minister's powers, in accordance with Article 81, Clause 2 of the Law of Georgia on Civil Service, Davit Khidasheli's administrative contract was terminated. As a result, he no longer holds a position at the Defense Ministry," the Defense Ministry stated.
The agency has emphasized that Davit Khidasheli did not have access to classified state information during his tenure at the Defense Ministry.
According to the legislation, when a minister resigns, his advisors are automatically dismissed. Therefore, Gharibashvili first appointed Khidasheli as an advisor, and then Burchuladze.
According to Resolution N176 of the Government of Georgia dated April 20, 2015, diplomatic passports are issued to no more than 15 employees of the Defense Ministry of Georgia and legal entities of public law existing within its system, based on the submission of the relevant agency. The Foreign Affairs Ministry of Georgia is responsible for issuing diplomatic passports according to the same resolution.
The Defense Ministries and Foreign Affairs do not comment on whether Davit Khidasheli had a Georgian diplomatic passport.
From 2007 to 2014, Davit Khidasheli served as the vice-president of the Russian corporation System. System is a large conglomerate that supports the annexation of Crimea. It includes the company Kronstadt, which has been producing military drones since 2021 and serves the Defense Ministry of Russia.
The owner of System is Vladimir Yevtushenkov, who was sanctioned by Great Britain, Australia, Ukraine, and New Zealand after the start of the war in Ukraine. Yevtushenkov is one of Putin's closest associates. In November 2023, it was revealed that System was authorized by the United States of America. The statement from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Treasury mentions System as one of the largest Russian public diversified holding companies.
Yevtushenkov has a close relationship with former Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili. In 2022, a hidden audio recording circulated on the Internet suggested that Davit Khidasheli acted as a "messenger" between Yevtushenkov and Ivanishvili.
Khidasheli is the main figure in the case concerning cartographers (the Davit Gareji case).
