During times of its greatest existential crises, Ukraine has been saved several times solely by active citizens. In 2014, tens of thousands of volunteers went to the East to fight against the terrible russian horde. Even more people joined in the defense of the country in 2022, when the occupiers started the bloodiest war in Europe since World War II.
The men and women who went to the front to defend their Homeland, along with the volunteers who provided the fighters with whatever they could, essentially safeguarded our statehood. Moreover, among these courageous people were not only Ukrainian citizens but also foreigners for whom staying on the sidelines of an unprovoked conflict was simply unbearable.
Volunteers and fighters from other countries have shown great selflessness throughout this difficult time for us, sacrificing their health, personal funds, and, sadly, their lives for the victory of absolute good over evil. The contribution of Georgian representatives to the fight against the frenzied invaders is perhaps the greatest due to the number of those who joined the Defense Forces.
An interview with 24 Channel with the commander of this unit, legendary fighter Mamuka Mamulashvili, about the creation and development of the "Georgian National Legion"' the motivation to destroy russians, attempts to discredit the legionnaires, and the terrible situation of russian dominance in Sakartvelo.
It was important for us to become an official part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
You came to Ukraine in 2014 with a clear intent to fight against the russians. How did the idea of creating a volunteer unit come about? How did you communicate with state authorities to obtain weapons and legalize yourselves as legionnaires?
I have been fighting against the 'rashists' nearly my whole life, with only brief breaks. During the war in Abkhazia, I was still a teenager. Then I went through both campaigns in Chechnya, of course, the Russian-Georgian war, and since 2014, I've been fighting them here. When the occupiers seized Crimea, it was clear to me that Putin would start a war. We remember how Ukrainians were the only ones who helped us in 1992, continuously and openly supporting us in our confrontation with the russians. So, for me personally, there was never even a question of not coming here to fight.
Moreover, in the areas of Kharkiv, Sumy, or Donbas, we are fighting not only for Ukraine but also for Georgia's independence. The defeat of our common enemy here will lead to fundamental changes in our Homeland.
Ten years ago, in Georgia, I was the president of the National Federation of Mixed Martial Arts, so I had many contacts with athletes and officials from Ukraine. When my friends and I arrived in Kyiv, the local guys welcomed us and helped with accommodation. They put in a lot of effort to ensure that we could immediately start training Ukrainian brigades and ‘militsiya’ battalions. Back then, there was no police force yet.
How many people came from Georgia to fight for Ukraine at the beginning of the conflict?
Many people came from Georgia to fight for Ukraine at the beginning of the conflict? Just ten. The ATO began on April 14, and by the 24th, we were already in Kyiv. You could say that this day marked the beginning of the "Georgian Legion". I arrived with professionals, officers of the Georgian army, who had experience from the war with the russians, as well as missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Initially, we focused on training your units. But from the first days, we also took part in direct combat encounters.
I can’t share all the details because some operations are still classified. Due to the enormous experience our group had, we carried out some special missions: hunting for the russian officers and equipment. We did this quite successfully, and the legion started to gain attention. At the same time, we conducted a recruiting campaign in Georgia. Thus, the legion gradually grew. After a while, we had gathered a company. We could have included more people but turned away those without combat experience.
We fought like this until 2016. Then we became the first volunteer formation to join the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We joined the ranks of the 25th Separate Motorized Infantry Battalion "Kyivska Rus"' which was later assigned to the 54th Brigade.
Fighters of the 'Georgian National Legion' as part of 'Kyivska Rus' / Photo from the archive of Mamuka Mamulashvili.
At that time, many volunteers did not want to officially become part of the Armed Forces. Did you have problems with this?
On the contrary, it was important for us to be Ukrainian servicemen, as we did not come here for a few months. We came to help Ukraine win this war, no matter how long it took. Some of our companies signed contracts with other battalions, while others joined the 25th. We deliberately distributed ourselves so that the 'legion' was in different units, as our guys could strengthen the Ukrainian brigades. And they integrated well there."
During the conditional ceasefire before the full-scale invasion, did the 'Georgian Legion' act more as a line unit, or did you mostly carry out special missions?
It is usually said that the war was frozen until 2022, but I would disagree with that. Of course, active combat encounters decreased significantly, but during the Minsk agreements, ‘rushists’ were still active in some areas. We, in turn, gave them what they deserved. We carried out both special missions and regular duties. For many of our guys, it was important to participate in combat operations, as it allowed them to feel satisfaction and take revenge for the crimes committed by the russians in Georgia.
I remember how they named one of the heights where the russians were stationed 'Sukhumi.' When it was taken, we were very happy. Thus, we served the Ukrainian people until February 24, 2022.
In Hostomel, the guys with RPGs shot down helicopters.
Did you personally have an understanding that Putin would go further and dare to start a full-scale war? How did you prepare for the new invasion?
Of course, we understood that the Russians were not just raising the stakes. However, we believed that the main blow would fall on the Donbas. At our base, three months before the full-scale invasion began, we started training civilians. According to our records, more than 20,000 people underwent training. We taught them medical skills, field training, and how to find shelter during artillery shelling or airstrikes. It was like a big game where families came together, but everyone understood that this could be useful someday.
Unfortunately, there was some misunderstanding from certain official structures regarding what we were doing. It was a peaceful capital at that time, and here the Georgians started training civilians in military matters…
At that time, was the "Georgian Legion" already part of the GUR (Main Intelligence Directorate) of the Ministry of Defense?
We always had close cooperation with the Main Intelligence Directorate. We were offered to officially transition under the command of the 'Island' even before 2024. After the full-scale invasion began, we legally became a separate military unit, which was later incorporated into the 'International Legion.' Guys from other countries began to fight alongside us, and English became the main language of communication.
After the full-scale invasion, the personnel of the 'Georgian Legion' increased many times over / Photo from the personal archive of Mamuka Mamulashvili.
Where exactly did you meet the enemy on February 24?
A part of our unit was in the East, fighting the Russians there. I was in Kyiv with other guys, so we encountered the enemy in the region. About half an hour before the full-scale invasion began, we arrived at the Hostomel airfield in our vehicles. Together with other units and the National Guard, we were among the first to confront the enemy helicopters in the Kyiv region.
At that moment, we were not fully equipped with everything we needed and were unprepared for a war of such scale. Honestly, I was amazed by the fact that full-on combat was happening just a 40-minute drive from our base.
When the aircraft began flying over us, for a split second, I thought it was a training exercise before the war. But these were Russian Ka-52s attacking us. At that moment, we were waiting for ammunition supplies, so we had to conserve bullets very carefully. We had to get creative. Attack helicopters were covering the transport helicopters carrying paratroopers. Our task was to disrupt the landing as much as possible. The guys with RPGs climbed onto rooftops to make it easier to shoot down aircraft. They fired anti-tank grenades at the helicopters…
However, due to the lack of ammunition, we eventually had to retreat. We left without a single bullet. I even had to run over a few rushists with my own car because we literally had nothing to shoot with.
Later, when artillery arrived at the airfield, additional forces arrived, and more ammunition was brought in, we started the process of recapturing the airfield. But the russians never managed to fully land their cargo planes with equipment there.
After the battles for Hostomel, we took part in the liberation of the Kyiv region. The disorganization that was present in the first hours of the war was gone, and gradually, supplies and communication improved.
Did a lot of volunteers join the Legion in the first months of the full-scale invasion?
We started recruitment, which immediately showed results. Many people eager to fight were coming to Ukraine, so we decided to set up a kind of logistical center in one of the cities in the West. Volunteers went through selection, received basic training, and then went into battle. We only took those with experience, those who knew how to fight the enemy.
Mostly, Georgians came to join us, but we had people from other countries as well. The 'Georgian Legion' expanded greatly, growing about tenfold.
What operations have the Legionnaires participated in over the past two years?
Unfortunately, we were mainly in active defense. There were a lot of special operations. Let's put it this way: we engaged in the elimination of high-ranking russian officers, the destruction of specialized equipment, radar systems, and so on. The number of missions completed has long exceeded a hundred. Currently, our main forces are active on one of the most intense fronts.
At a deployment point on one of the hottest fronts / Photo from Mamuka Mamulashvili’s archive
Russians stopped the flow of donations through lies, and because of this, someone will lose their life.
Judging by messages from russian propagandists, the Legionnaires are highly effective. At least, your unit is singled out for discrediting.
Yes, that's true. They fabricate entire reports with fake testimonies about supposed 'war crimes' committed by Georgians. Stories about boys in underwear, elderly women with construction foam — all the classic russian fabrications.
Clearly, these slanders don’t directly affect our fighters. But it’s a bit demotivating when some Ukrainians start believing in the 'atrocities of Georgians.' They might, for instance, approach us and say, ‘Nice work, hang them all’… or write something condemning online. And these are real people, not bots.
These discrediting videos also influence the russians themselves. The occupiers hate Georgians as much as they hate Ukrainians."
Do the stories about 'Georgian torturers' affect your volunteer support or recruitment?
Statements from Skabeeva or Solovyov about alleged war crimes supposedly committed by the Legionnaires don’t impact us at all. But russians have learned to influence our donors in other ways. Recently, for instance, the 'Georgian Legion' encountered a well-coordinated information attack aimed at a Western audience.
The thing is, average citizens in France, America, or Canada often don’t understand the intricacies of everything happening in Ukraine. They believe various media sources, while russians feed them an assortment of articles and websites through social media..
The latest attack, which is still ongoing, was aimed at discrediting support for both the Legion and the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the West, especially during the U.S. election campaign and elections in Georgia. As we've found out, top russian propagandists are behind this information operation, organizing several large-scale efforts.
It began with a so-called British journalist, Jay Beecher, creating a news site about Ukraine. He posted a few articles on the importance of supporting Kyiv, resisting the russian horde. But soon after, he published a fake investigation specifically targeting our unit, claiming Georgians had come to gather millions in donations only to pocket them. He added in allegations of drug trafficking and money laundering, just to make it as sensational as possible.
Of course, literally five minutes after the publication appeared, Georgian television picked it up. They used the narrative that 'a Ukrainian foreign media outlet exposed Georgian volunteers,' although Beecher has no connection whatsoever to local media.
In the second wave, the russians spread the publication on some Ukrainian sites they control and later disseminated it across the U.S. and European countries. Only after that, Russia Today — banned in most civilized countries — published a massive piece about 'Ukrainians investigating Georgian crimes.'
As a result, to be honest, some Western donors have withdrawn their support. Certain local volunteers even began calling for donations to go to their own fundraisers instead of ours. What's more, even some military personnel bought into these claims — people wearing the same uniform as us.
Now representatives of the intelligence services are investigating the case of our defamation. I believe they will hold accountable everyone working for russian money, as Beecher himself is still in Ukraine.
Georgian television supported the information attack on the Legion. Before this, both russian and Georgian law enforcement agencies placed some Ukrainian defenders on wanted lists. It seems that the Kremlin is highly opposed to the return of volunteers to Georgia?
Indeed, 300 fighters from the ‘Georgian Legion’ are listed in criminal cases within the aggressor country. They accuse us of 'conspiracy to overthrow the government' and 'preparation for terrorism.' As fighters for Georgia's independence, we completely disagree with the direction our Homeland has taken. And, of course, the russian agents currently in power have no desire for us to be perceived as heroes.
Fighters of the Georgian Legion genuinely love Ukraine / Photo from Mamuka Mamulashvili's personal archive
Has the ‘Georgian Legion’ missed out on many donations because of this attack?
Let’s be honest, the support we receive from individuals and companies that back us isn't the primary source of the unit's funding. Nevertheless, donations covered about 10-20% of our expenses, which is a significant amount. Sometimes, for instance, when a vehicle isn't officially listed in our military unit's inventory, I can't use state funds for its fuel or repairs.
Right now, we have dozens of broken vehicles with no funds to restore them. Some of these are critically needed at the front. For example, guys from the mortar crew would travel to the combat zone in a converted armored cash transport vehicle. In the areas they were operating, there would be no chance of survival in a regular pickup truck. So, while this minibus is undergoing repairs, these soldiers can’t fight or cover their comrades, and this could mean the loss of lives.
In short, this disinformation campaign has impacted us financially. Pro-russian forces in the Georgian government have also supported it, as they benefit from tarnishing the image of those fighting for the independence of Ukraine and our Homeland—especially during election periods and times of political turbulence.
Only a victory achieved by military means will bring peace to Ukraine and Georgia.
Most of the Georgian population is anti-Russian, but the opposition can’t unite to win convincingly enough to prevent election fraud. Why, in the face of such a serious threat, is there no political consolidation?
Unfortunately, Georgian politics hasn't evolved enough to fully reject everything related to Russia. I would say that a large part of Georgian society is strongly anti-russian. However, the current government manipulates the electoral process, and pro-russian figures will try to stay in power by any means, with funding from the Kremlin.
Russhists have done a thorough job dividing the opposition, driving wedges between people, and destabilizing Georgia. The half a million of russians who supposedly came here to escape Putin’s mobilization are enemy agents. Among them are ordinary civilians with imperialistic views as well as career operatives. They will inevitably try to provoke a civil war in Sakartvelo sooner or later.
The vast majority of Georgians oppose any alignment with the aggressor, but the opposition parties failed to form a united force. There are no new, ambitious, or active figures in our politics. Talented, intelligent young people are effectively blocked from entering politics. This has created the issues we see today, and the population has virtually no influence over the situation. Around 10-15% are under the influence of russian propaganda, while others are disillusioned, finding it hard to choose anyone to vote for, as there are simply no clear, charismatic leaders. Moscow takes full advantage of this.
We had a period of change, an era of reform, but after that, Tbilisi nearly reverted back to 'the Soviet way.' So, first and foremost, we need to root out russian thinking, eliminate their mentality, and resist propaganda. Only then can Georgia develop further.
They poisoned me for the third time.
Aside from the informational attacks, кussian intelligence has been targeting you personally. Recently, you were poisoned again. Have there been assassination attempts on anyone else in the 'Legion'?
So far, just on me. The recent poisoning was already the third attempt to incapacitate me. I first noticed symptoms in Germany, where I had surgery to remove shrapnel. Right after being discharged, I felt an extremely sharp stomach pain. The doctors urgently hospitalized me and administered very strong medications. It seemed to help. But then there was a second incident, and later, a third. It was only in the third hospital, a specialized one, that they determined it was poisoning.
Now, each time I open a new bottle before drinking. I eat only at random places or foods that no one else has touched.
The 2008 war in Georgia ended diplomatically, but the Kremlin continues to show aggression in one form or another. Recently, there have been many rumors about a possible 'freeze' of the war in Ukraine. As a professional diplomat and combatant, do you believe Russia could agree to a settlement and actually adhere to it?
In my opinion, there is absolutely no chance that any agreement could be beneficial. Unpunished evil always returns, and the кussians understand only the language of force. In the case of Georgia, the diplomatic end to the war brought only territorial losses and Kremlin domination. So, we have no choice. We will stand with Ukraine to the end, as only victory here can ensure the survival and normal existence of our country.