The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, advised the Georgian journalist Georgy Gabunia to ask forgiveness for his insulting remarks to the Russian leadership while refuting the information that the attempt on the journalist's life was being prepared on his instructions.
"This time they say that they caught the killer who intended to make an attempt on the Georgian journalist's by order of Kadyrov. Gentlemen, believe me, if someone is acting on my instructions, they will do so, and if the task needs to be done quietly, no one, let alone your countries that are in deep stagnation, will know about it," Kadyrov wrote in his telegram channel.
"But I emphasize that we have not forgotten how he insulted our state, our people, and therefore personally me. George Gabunia, as I said before, it is better to kneel down and apologize for what happened. He insulted not one person, but all the Russians. I appeal to the Georgian authorities to take measures to help rehabilitate this citizen. I recommend that he draw the right conclusions and get his mind in order. Otherwise, I repeat, he will remain my enemy," the head of Chechnya said.
Kadyrov stressed that he "is not at all interested in fables from people who have been offended by fate”.
"They're awkwardly trying to show themselves in the information field, but they're getting sucked deeper into the abyss," he added.
The day before Nika Gvaramia, director-general of the Georgian opposition TV channel Mtavari Archive, told journalists that a few days ago Georgian special services detained Russian citizen Vasambek Bokov, who allegedly was preparing an assassination attempt on journalist George Gabunia in Tbilisi.
"Georgian security services do not make any comments on the reasons for Bokov's detention, but we have learned from reliable sources, including Ukraine, that an attempt on my deputy, TV journalist Georgiy Gabunia was being prepared," Gvaramia said.
"It's possible that Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya, had previously publicly stated that he would punish Gabunia," Gvaramia added.
Last Monday, Tbilisi City Court held a closed trial on the case of Russian citizen Bokov. Local media reported that the court sentenced Bokov to remain in pre-trial detention until August when the next court hearing will take place.
Later, the State Security Service of Georgia confirmed the fact of detention of a Russian citizen in Tbilisi within the framework of an investigation into the preparation of a contract killing.
In July 2019, George Gabunia, who was then the host of the Georgian TV channel Rustavi 2, in his program, insulted Russian President Vladimir Putin using obscene language.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Elena Afonina / TASS
Based on materials from Interfax