Georgian media report about Machalikashvili's kinship with Chataev

Mass media of Georgia have released information about relative ties of Temirlan Machalikashvili, killed in an operation in Pankisi, with Akhmed Chataev, and also about Machalikashvili's intention to commit self-explosion in a crowded place in Tbilisi.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that 19-year-old Temirlan Machalikashvili was seriously wounded to his head during a special operation conducted in the Pankisi Gorge on December 26, 2017. He died in hospital on January 10. According to the Georgian law enforcement bodies, Temirlan Machalikashvili tried to throw a grenade to law enforcers and they shot at him. Relatives of the young man claim that he was shot dead in his bed.

On July 2, the "Imedi" Georgian TV Company, reported, with reference to its own sources, that files in Temirlan Machalikashvili's mobile phone were restored, and gave messages of his correspondence with an unknown person.

According to the messages, on December 24, 2017, Machalikashvili announced his intention to commit self-explosion in a crowded place near the metro station "Railway Station Square".

The "Imedi" has also reported on Machalikashvili's kinship with Chataev, whose second wife is Machalikashvili's second cousin.

Mediko Margoshvili, Temirlan Machalikashvili's mother confirmed on the air of "Imedi" the fact of the kinship, but indicated that she was not personally acquainted with Aina Margoshvili, Akhmed Chataev's second wife, and never saw her.

Malkhaz Machalikashvili, Temirlan's father, also noted on the "Imedi" TV the presence of a language barrier – Temirlan did not speak Russian and did not write in the Chechen language.

Vakhtang Maisaya, Doctor of Military and Political Sciences, doubted the truthfulness of the information spread by Georgian mass media, as it was not officially confirmed and was promulgated by the TV company, close to the authorities.

In his opinion, attempts are now being made to compromise Machalikashvili, but there are many questions to the published information; for example, why it has appeared right now.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 3, 2018 at 05:16 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.