Slovakia has accused Mamuka Mamulashvili, commander of the Georgian Legion, of attempting to orchestrate a coup—an allegation Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) has firmly denied in a statement on Telegram.
According to HUR, on Jan. 31, Slovak officials accused Ukrainian intelligence of involvement in organizing protests in Slovakia through the Georgian Legion, which they claim operates under HUR’s command.
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The accusations follow mass demonstrations on Jan. 24, when around 100,000 people protested across 30 Slovak cities under the slogan “Slovakia is Europe.”
The protests opposed Prime Minister Robert Fico’s policies and pro-Russian stance, with chants like “Enough of Fico” and “We are Europe.” The demonstrations were further fueled by Fico’s visit to Moscow in December, where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In response, HUR stated that “there is no unit called the ‘Georgian National Legion’ within its structure.” The intelligence clarified that its International Legion is a multinational combat unit actively engaged on the front lines against Russian forces and “does not conduct hybrid operations in European Union countries.”
Regarding Mamulashvili, HUR reported that he is neither a Ukrainian serviceman nor affiliated with Ukrainian intelligence and does not receive any directives from HUR.
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The intelligence added that Mamulashvili ended his contract with the International Legion in April 2023 and did not renew it.
“HUR resolutely rejects the false accusations of organizing illegal actions in Slovakia,” the statement read, adding that Ukraine maintains close cooperation with NATO partners and adheres to principles of transparency and partnership.
HUR urged European politicians to be cautious with their statements, especially when making accusations against friendly nations, to avoid fueling hostile propaganda.
Fico’s accusations and the Georgian Legion’s response
On Jan. 31, Slovak PM Fico accused the Georgian Legion and its leader, Mamulashvili, of orchestrating the protests in Slovakia. Following the accusations, Mamulashvili was banned from entering the country.
During a press conference, Fico failed to provide details on how Mamulashvili could have organized the demonstrations or been involved in the alleged coup attempt.
He cited a photograph of Mamulashvili with Lucy Štasselová from the Peace for Ukraine initiative and journalist Martin Šimečka, both of whom have supported the Georgian Legion, as evidence for his claims.
The Georgian Legion dismissed the accusations as “absurd and groundless.” Mamulashvili stated that the allegations were a deliberate attempt to discredit their unit, which has been fighting alongside Ukraine against Russian aggression since 2014.
Fico previously alleged that Ukraine was involved in anti-government protests in Bratislava and other Slovak cities, even claiming that “every third protester was Ukrainian.”
On Jan. 30, Slovak authorities detained a Ukrainian national over an alleged “threat of a coup d’état.” He now faces deportation. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that diplomats are closely monitoring the case.
On Jan. 24, between 40,000 and 60,000 people took to the streets in Bratislava, the capital, and in 20 other cities across Slovakia, demanding the resignation of Fico, according to the event organizers.
To support his claims of an opposition plot, Slovak PM cited an intelligence report suggesting that the opposition was planning a “Maidan-style” movement, referring to the 2014 protests in Kyiv that ousted the pro-Kremlin government.
Fico accused the opposition of attempting to “occupy the government in cooperation with foreign countries,” disregarding the results of the elections. He also convened a National Security Council meeting, where he described the situation as “grave” and “unprecedented.”
In response, protest organizers dismissed Fico’s accusations as a “fabricated story,” and stated on social media that his remarks were an attempt to intimidate them.
They added that their only goal was to peacefully express their disagreement with Fico’s policies, and argued that the real threat came from “interference by Fico’s friend Putin.”
As one of the Kremlin’s few allies in the European Union, Fico has strengthened Slovakia’s ties with Moscow since his return to power in 2023. In December, he visited Moscow for talks with Putin, during which he criticized Ukraine’s decision to halt the flow of Russian gas through its territory to Europe.
Opposition leader Michal Simecka criticized Fico for focusing on international travel and engaging with authoritarian leaders, while neglecting domestic issues. He accused the prime minister of “flying around the world, bowing to dictators, and enjoying luxury,” referring to Fico’s recent trips to Russia and Vietnam.
Earlier in January, tens of thousands of people rallied across Slovakia under the slogan “Slovakia is not Russia.”
Fico was forced to resign in 2018 after the murder of journalist Jan Kuciak, who was investigating high-level corruption. The killing sparked the largest demonstrations in Slovakia since the fall of communism in 1989.
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