(1973-11-06) 6 November 1973 (age 50) Tskhinvali, South Ossetian AO, Georgian SSR, USSR
Political party
Victorious Georgia (2019–present) Movement for United Georgia (2007–2010) United National Movement (until 2006)
Military service
Allegiance
Ukraine
Branch/service
International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine
Years of service
2022–present
Battles/wars
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Irakli Okruashvili (Georgian: ირაკლი ოქრუაშვილი) (born 6 November 1973) is a Georgian politician who had served on various important posts in the Government of Georgia under President Mikheil Saakashvili, including being the Minister of Defense from December 2004 until being dismissed in November 2006.
In September 2007, Okruashvili staged a public comeback to Georgian politics, openly confronting Mikheil Saakashvili and creating the opposition party Movement for United Georgia. On September 27, 2007, Okruashvili was briefly arrested at his party headquarters on the charges of corruption, money laundering, and abuse of office.[1] In 2007 he left Georgia and was granted political asylum in France. He was sentenced to 11-year prison term in Georgia in absentia in March 2008. In October 2010, he, remaining in France, joined Sozar Subari, Levan Gachechiladze and Erosi Kitsmarishvili in the new Georgian Party.[2]
Okruashvili was sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly participating in group violence in anti-government rallies organized in June 2019.[3] However, President Salome Zourabichvili pardoned him, alongside Gigi Ugulava, on May 15, 2020.[4]
On March 8, 2022 the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence stated that Okruashvili had arrived in Ukraine, together with other Georgian volunteers, in order to fight against the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[5]
^Okruashvili Arrested[permanent dead link]. Civil Georgia. 2007-09-27.
^New Opposition Party Launched. Civil Georgia. 2010-10-12
^"Former Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Okruashvili given 5 years for 20 June violence". OC Media. 2020-04-13. Retrieved 2020-12-02.
^"President Zurabishvili Pardons Gigi Ugulava, Irakli Okruashvili". 15 May 2020.
^Georgia’s former defence minister comes to fight alongside Ukrainians, Ukrayinska Pravda (8 March 2022)
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