Saakashvili Mikheil Nikolozovich

The Third President of Georgia, former Governor of Odesa, imprisoned opponent of the Kremlin

Born on December 21, 1967, in Tbilisi. Leader of the "Rose Revolution" (2003) and President of Georgia (2004–2013), who experienced the war with Russia in 2008. After the rise to power of Bidzina Ivanishvili's "Georgian Dream," he moved to Ukraine.

Ukrainian Chapter

In 2015, Poroshenko granted him Ukrainian citizenship and appointed him head of the Odesa Regional State Administration (2015–2016); later he resigned, accusing the president's entourage of corruption, and founded the party "Movement of New Forces." In 2017, Poroshenko revoked his citizenship — Saakashvili crossed into Ukraine illegally, was detained, and deported. In 2019, Zelensky restored his citizenship, and in 2020 appointed him head of the Executive Reform Committee.

Imprisonment in Georgia

In October 2021, he secretly returned to Georgia and was immediately arrested. He received several sentences (abuse of power; embezzlement in the "tie case" — 9 years; illegal border crossing) — totaling over 12 years, with imprisonment extended to approximately 2032–2034; in 2026, a new case on "carrying out Ukrainian authorities' tasks." The European Parliament and Zelensky demanded his release; human rights defenders consider him a political prisoner.