Russia and China ramp up covert meddling in Georgian democracy

Moscow uses threats while Beijing wields economic power to intrude in local affairs

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping are both seeking to expand their countries' influence in Georgia, located in the South Caucasus, a key corridor linking Asia and Europe on the vast Eurasian continent. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by AP and Reuters)

HIROYUKI AKITA, Nikkei commentator

October 13, 2024 09:56 JST

TBILISI, Georgia -- Despite massive casualties among his military, Russian President Vladimir Putin continues his invasion of Ukraine, yet the threat posed by Russia to neighboring countries extends beyond its firepower. Moscow engages in various covert operations, including intimidation and misinformation, to manipulate ex-Soviet states with weak democratic traditions.

Russia is not alone; China is also seeking to expand its influence among former Soviet satellites, using its economic clout to infiltrate their power centers. If the West allows the stealth campaigns of the Kremlin and Beijing to go unchecked, the tide of democracy in the former Soviet sphere will recede, increasing the sway of both Russia and China.