Georgian Dream candidates have been elected mayors of Georgian cities. Kobakhidze declared the attempt to overthrow the government a failure.

The Georgian Central Election Commission reported that representatives of the ruling party received the majority of votes in the local elections. Thus, incumbent Mayor Kakha Kaladze was re-elected for a third term (71.58% of the vote), Nino Latsabidze became Mayor of Rustavi (91.933%), Davit Eremeishvili became Mayor of Kutaisi (85.649%), and Giorgi Tsintsadze became Mayor of Batumi (80.616%). According to the Central Election Commission, Beka Vacharadze, the Georgian Dream mayoral candidate for Poti, received 100% of the vote.

The municipal elections were held amid mass protests. The situation became particularly tense in the evening, when protesters attempted to storm the presidential palace. Local media reported that water cannons and tear gas were used to disperse the protesters.

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs announced the arrest of rally organizers Paata Burchuladze, Murtaza Zodelava, Irakli Nadiradze, Paata Manjgaladze, and Lasha Beridze. According to Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, they are accused of calling for the violent overthrow of the constitutional order or the state power. The opposition politicians face up to nine years in prison.

The Georgian Prime Minister blamed the unrest in the capital and the attempted overthrow of the government on "foreign intelligence services."

"Those who attempted to raise a hand against the state during a rally organized by foreign intelligence services will receive the strictest response. Georgia is not a country where foreign agents are allowed to overthrow the government," he stated.

Kobakhidze warned that all those involved in the October 4 "violence" in Tbilisi should "expect surprises in the coming days"—they will face severe punishment. According to the Georgian prime minister, the announced overthrow of the government in the country failed, after which some leaders, including Salome Zurabishvili, decided to distance themselves from the process.

As a reminder, Georgia's fifth president, Salome Zurabishvili, described the events at the presidential residence as a staged act orchestrated by the government.

"This parody of a seizure of the presidential palace could only be staged by the regime to discredit the 310 days of peaceful protests by the Georgian people. As the legitimate president, I officially reject this and will continue to stand peacefully with my people until we win new elections," she wrote on the social media platform X.

Последние новости
New car sales in Russia’s North Caucasus fall by 21%
Economy
New car sales in Russia’s North Caucasus fall by 21%
15 August 2026

New car sales across Russia’s North Caucasus fell by 21% in July compared with the same month last year. The sharpest decline was recorded in Dagestan, where the new-car market nearly halved over the year.
Queues at Verkhny Lars border crossing emerge amid rumours of a new mobilisation in Russia
Society
Queues at Verkhny Lars border crossing emerge amid rumours of a new mobilisation in Russia
15 August 2026

Queues remain at the Russian-Georgian border following temporary restrictions on traffic through the Verkhny Lars crossing. The situation has drawn additional attention amid rumours circulating in Russia about a possible new mobilisation, recalling the autumn of 2022, when large numbers of men eligible for military service left the country through the crossing. There is no official evidence linking the current restrictions to any mobilisation measures.
Less than a third of flood victims in Dagestan have received compensation
Society
Less than a third of flood victims in Dagestan have received compensation
15 August 2026

In Dagestan, 82,000 people have received compensation following the devastating spring floods — less than 30% of the residents who applied for assistance. In neighbouring Chechnya, authorities have reported paying out 726 million roubles to those affected.
Georgian opposition insists Russia orchestrated fuel supplies to Abkhazia
Politics
Georgian opposition insists Russia orchestrated fuel supplies to Abkhazia
15 August 2026

Fuel shipments from the Tbilisi-controlled part of Georgia to Abkhazia have sparked a new political conflict in the country. The opposition believes that Moscow and the ruling "Georgian Dream" party are behind the gasoline shipment. Authorities, however, insist that the fuel was supplied by private business and that the trade itself does not violate Georgian law.