Russian invasion: Georgia commemorates August 2008 war

Today marks the eighth anniversary of the most tragic day in Georgia’s recent history – the beginning of the brief but violent August 8 war between Russia and Georgia.

Today the country’s Government and citizens are remembering those who lost their lives to defend their homeland.

On August 8, 2008 Russia invaded Georgia and a five-day war ensued, which claimed many lives and left thousands more without homes.

At Mukhatgverdi Brothers’ Cemetery today Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, President Giorgi Margvelashvili and other top officials paid tribute to the victims of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war.

Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili places a wreath at the grave of the soldier who died in the Russian-Georgian war. Photo by the PM's press office.

There is no alternative to Georgia’s unification,” said Prime Minister Kvirikashvili before he placed a wreath at the county’s national memorial.

I bow my head before the memory of all our brave soldiers who died for our homeland in this brutal and unbalanced war.”

Kvirikashvili said after this war and subsequent Russian occupation of Georgian land, Georgian citizens became refugees within their own country and the distance between Georgians and Abkhazians and Ossetians has grown.

The PM stressed there was no alternative to peace and the Georgian Government would do its best to never repeat such tragic events in the future.

After five days of conflict, 228 Georgian civilians, 170 soldiers and 14 police officers had lost their lives. Photo by the PM's press office.

Meanwhile President Margvelashvili believed Russia would always have to answer why it took such a bloody step against its small neighbouring nation, and how a nuclear state could cause so much pain to a tiny country.

The reality is that Russia will never escape the injustice it has committed against its neighboring nation. This dark spot – occupation followed by recognition of our regions as so called independent states – will always tarnish Russia’s reputation,” Margvelashvili said.

The President was confident Georgia would reunite and it would do so through peaceful ways and not through war.

"We will re-complete #Georgia, we'll stabilize the process and Georgia will be united." -8yrs since horrific events pic.twitter.com/2RRyisEBlB

— President Of Georgia (@MargvelashviliG) August 8, 2016

The Russia-Georgia war lasted five days and following the armed conflict, 228 Georgian civilians, 170 soldiers and 14 police officers had lost their lives.

The war displaced 192,000 people in Georgia. Many were able to return to their homes after the war but as of May 2014 more than 20,200 people remain displaced.