**Two Georgian Men Released by Russian Occupation Forces**
On February 18, the Georgian State Security Service (SSSG) reported that two men, Kakha Tsevelidze and Giorgi Chitadze, had been released from illegal detention by Russian occupation forces. They are now in a safe area controlled by the government of Georgia.
The two men were detained near the village of Dirbi on February 16. SSSG used the operational hotline mechanism of the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) to secure their release. The agency stated that the central government continues to work actively to free all Georgian citizens being held illegally in occupied territories.
This incident is just one example of the many cases where people have been detained by Russian occupation forces and later released through diplomatic efforts.