Sixteen years after Russia’s first invasion of Georgia, I’m back, but the stakes have never felt higher. Since my first reports in Eastern Europe in 2014 and through Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I’ve watched as Georgia has danced on a knife’s edge. Now, with its October 26 elections looming, the country feels like a powder keg. Will Georgians choose Europe’s democratic embrace or yield to Russia’s looming authoritarian grasp?

In Tbilisi, the rhythm of daily life hums on, but there’s an unmistakable tension. Underneath the city’s façade of bustling cafés and vibrant streets is a grim reality: many fear a return to authoritarianism if the pro-Russian Georgian Dream party solidifies power. Meanwhile, the villages bordering occupied territories live with the immediacy of Russian troops just kilometers away, kidnappings, and whispers of government betrayal.

This latest collection of images reveals a Georgia staring down its history while grappling with its future. From border communities to the capital, the faces of resilience, fear, and hope tell a story that transcends any election. It’s a story of a people poised on the brink, with the stakes crystal clear: a European Georgia or a Russian Georgia. As October 26 approaches, Georgia’s fragile democracy hangs in the balance—and the world is watching.