Georgian Ambassador's Husband Connected to Moscow Law Firm Helping Sanctioned Russian Businesses

Tamar Taliashvili is Georgia's newly appointed ambassador to the United States.

The husband of Georgia's recently appointed US ambassador has been connected to a Moscow-based company that serves Russian businesses facing international sanctions.

According to documents and archived records obtained by OC Media, Davit Kukhalashvili, husband of Ambassador Tamar Taliashvili, directs DTK Partners, a law firm that advises clients on navigating through EU and US sanctions.

The firm, established in 2014, specializes in sanctions law.

Mikhail Zagaynov, current managing partner and longtime associate of Kukhalashvili, confirmed that DTK Partners has substantial experience assisting clients affected by sanctions, cross-border regulations, and asset restrictions.

The company provides guidance on recovering frozen assets, including through the Belgian Treasury, and assists clients with necessary documentation and appeals if initial requests are denied.

Documents show that although Kukhalashvili's name was removed from the firm's website earlier this year, archived versions revealed he remained managing director until one week after his wife assumed her ambassadorial position.

Following Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western governments imposed comprehensive restrictions on Moscow. Consequently, Russian law firms adapted by helping clients recover frozen assets and navigate complex US and European sanctions regulations.

The report further indicates that Kukhalashvili has handled legal cases for major Russian institutions under EU and US sanctions, including SPB Bank and National Settlement Depository.

DTK Partners has also worked with other companies, such as McDonald's operations in Kazakhstan and Lukoil, a Russian oil company subject to US sanctions.

Robert Hamilton, a leading US-based Eurasia analyst and President of the Delphi Global Research Centre, told OC Media that due to DTK Partners' operations in areas of particular interest to the Kremlin, the firm likely doesn't function with complete independence.

"In Putin's Russia, every major private organisation — from law firms to corporations to media outlets — needs top cover from the Kremlin to operate effectively," Hamilton stated.

He further suggested that by appointing an ambassador whose spouse maintains clear Russian connections, the Georgian government may be signaling to Moscow its intention to preserve close relations with Russia.