Georgia is being strongly pulled into Russia's sphere of influence.

It seems that it is to go on, as stated in an article by Yurii Panchenko, the editor of European Pravda Georgia, open to enemies: Why Lavrov's family visits and flights are not last steps towards Russia (Ukr).

Despite warnings from the West, the first flight from Russia to Georgia landed on May 19. Furthermore, despite assurances from the Georgian government, permits for flights were granted to a Russian airline that flies to annexed Crimea, thus falling under Ukrainian sanctions.

This is not a coincidence: another Russian airline (Ukr), which also flies to Crimea and falls under Kyiv's sanctions, obtained permits for flights to Georgia a bit later.

The first flight from Russia was accompanied by protests both at the airport (Ukr) and outside the Georgian Parliament. Among the most popular slogans were inspired by Ukraine's resistance against Russia: "Russian plane, go to..."

However, these protests were not very massive.

Perhaps the scandal would have died down at that point but simultaneously with resuming flights to Russia, another event occurred that catalysed protests. The opposition channel Mtavari learned from its sources about the visit of Ekaterina Vinokurova (Ukr), the daughter of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, to the country.

The visit of the daughter of the top Russian diplomat to Georgia was not a mere coincidence.

The wedding of Alexander Vinokurov, her husband's brother, was supposed to take place in Kakheti.

Protesters blocked the Kvareli Lake Resort hotel where Lavrov's daughter was supposed to stay. Sources informed the Mtavari channel later that under the escort of the State Security Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Lavrov's daughter and son-in-law reached the airport and headed to Saudi Arabia.

The Georgian authorities openly took the side of this couple.

There is no doubt that the visit of the Russian top minister's relatives to Georgia significantly intensified the protests related to resuming flights with Russia.

This raises many questions, including whether these events are connected.

The opening of flights and the scandalous celebration are both consequences of the current unprecedented rapprochement between Georgia and Russia.

If that's the case, the current steps taken towards each other may not be the last.

Russian MP Sergei Gavrilov, who caused protests in Georgia in 2019, already predicts the restoration of diplomatic relations between the countries severed by President Saakashvili after the 2008 war.

The implementation of such plans will signify a new level of Georgia's definitive turn away from the West towards Russia.

Unless, of course, the citizens of Georgia prevent it.

In March, they managed to halt such a turn, but the Georgian government is taking revenge within a couple of months.

However, the protests triggered by the Moscow flights do not seem powerful enough to make the government abandon its plans right now.

But that is precisely the significance of such "black swans" as the visit of Lavrov's daughter. It demonstrates that the Russian elite now regards Georgia as a country that has abandoned its Western course in favour of economic preferences.