National Georgian Flags lowered in memory of victims of Soviet Occupation

The Georgian national flag is being flown at half-mast at the country’s Government buildings in remembrance of the hundreds of thousands of young soldiers who died in the battle of the Soviet Occupation of Georgia 93 years ago.

Flags have been lowered at Tbilisi and Kutaisi Parliament buildings and Residence of President today in accordance with the event where Georgia lost its independence when Bolshevik’s Red Army took over Tbilisi on 25 February, 1921.

To mark the occasion, President Giorgi Margvelashvili and other officials honoured the Georgian cadets who fought in the battle at a service today at the memorial site.

A closing event will held at the Tbilisi Parliament building later today.

Within the seven days of remembrance, which ends today, a photo exhibition was held in Kutaisi Parliament. On display were documentary photographs showing Georgia’s occupation by the Soviet powers.

The Day of Soviet Occupation was first officially marked in Georgia by the former Government in 2010. Parliament unanimously passed a resolution instructing the government to organise various memorial events each year on February 25 to commemorate the hundreds of thousands of victims of political repressions of Communist occupational regime, as stated in the decision.

Ninety three years ago Georgia lost its independence and became part of the Soviet Union. On February 25, Russian invaders took over Tbilisi and announced it had established power in Georgia.

See more story in short documentary  Soviet Russian Invasion in Democratic Republic of Georgia.

Video by Rezo Chigogidze.