For the first time, Russia reportedly sends oil shipment to Georgia's new refinery
Russian company Russneft has delivered the first oil shipment to Georgia's new Kulevi oil refinery, Reuters reported on Oct. 21, citing undisclosed industry sources and ship tracking data.
The tanker Kayseri shipped 105,340 metric tons of crude from the Russian port of Novorossiysk to the Kuveli Oil Terminal on Oct. 6, according to the news agency.
The news comes amid warming ties between Moscow and Tbilisi under the Georgian Dream party's rule.
The Kulevi facility, Georgia's first full-cycle oil refinery, launched operations earlier this month as part of efforts to reduce dependency on fuel imports.
In its first stage, the Black Sea coast facility aims to process 1.2 million metric tons of crude oil annually.
Russia is also seeking new markets for exports after a massive Western-led sanctions imposed over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Georgia and Russia officially ended diplomatic contacts after a war in 2008 and the subsequent Russian occupation of two Georgian regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The relationship between the two neighboring countries has shifted in recent years, as the current Georgian government seeks to strengthen economic and political ties.
The Georgian Dream party, which has been in power since 2012, has also been accused of democratic backsliding and electoral fraud after it claimed victory in the 2024 parliamentary election.
The violent crackdown on protests following the elections prompted Western sanctions and cast doubt on Tbilisi's aspirations for EU membership. Fresh demonstrations erupted after the ruling party claimed another victory in local elections in October.
Georgian-Ukrainian relations have also deteriorated, with Georgia's ruling party repeatedly accusing Ukrainian officials and nationals of criminal conspiracies, including an alleged 2023 coup plot — an accusation Kyiv has categorically denied.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
