MOSCOW, September 12 (RAPSI) – A court in Ukraine will hear a criminal case over illegal border against ex-Odessa governor Mikheil Saakashvili on September 18, the Ukrainian State Border Service’s representative Vladimir Sheremet told journalists on Tuesday.

If found guilty, Saakashvili will face fine ranging from 3,400 to 8,500 hryvnia.

The Security Service of Ukraine stated readiness to provide assistance in the investigation.

A criminal case over illegal border crossing was opened in Ukraine after Saakashvili broke through the country’s border, the Ukrainian police reported on September 11. Eleven police officers were injured during the security operation near a border crossing checkpoint, according to police.

In July 2017, Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko stripped Saakashvili, who was appointed the Odessa region governor in May 2015, of his Ukrainian citizenship. However, Saakashvili said in August that he is going to come back to Ukraine from Poland on September 10, 2017.

In early September, Georgia asked Ukraine to arrest and extradite Saakashvili for the third time. Ukraine’s Deputy Justice Minister Sergey Petukhov confirmed that the request was received. Georgia has provided guarantees that the request is not politically motivated and Saakashvili’s rights and freedoms would not be violated, the Ukrainian official added.

Earlier, Georgia sent the Ukrainian Prosecutor General two requests for the arrest and extradition of Saakashvili.  Ukraine refused to extradite former President of Georgia because charges against him are politically motivated, the Ukrainian Prosecutor-General's office said.