Georgia commemorates victims of 2008 Russia-Georgia war
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Today marks the ninth anniversary of the August 8 Russian invasion of Georgia and 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 homeless.
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, together with the Cabinet Ministers, visited the Mukhatgverdi Brothers’ Cemetery today. Photo: PM's press office.
"There is no alternative to peace and the government is doing its best to maintain peace, in the first place”, Prime Minister Kvirikashvili said.
He added that a "unified, economically strong, democratic, truly European” Georgia is being built to make it a shared home for Georgians, Abkhazians and Ossetians.
"This war was a tragedy for everybody, that’s why we should look into each others’ eyes, tell each other what we have to tell and we should reconcile because there is no alternative to reconciliation either”, Kvirikashvili said.
— President Of Georgia (@MargvelashviliG) August 7, 2017
President Margvelashvili said that he believes every person is born free but with responsibility in front of their homeland. He added that the heroes of the August war carried this responsibility proudly and died for their country.
President Giorgi Margvelashvili visited the Mukhatgverdi Brothers’ Cemetery today. Photo: President's press office.
"Nine years ago, the Russian army crossed the border of the sovereign, independent country and occupied our regions. In reality, this occupation has started in the beginning of the 90’s, from the very moment when the Georgian nation once again stated that it chooses its own, independent, free road of development”, Margvelashvili said.
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 more than 20,200 people still remain displaced.