Body of Georgian soldier lost in WW II recovered in Russia
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The body of a Georgian soldier, Khutu Miminoshvili, who has been missing since 1941, has been found in Russia, near Petersburg.
His body was identified with the help of a spoon in his pocket, with an inscription-Khutu, Georgia’s State Service for Veteran Affairs announced.
The man was called to the army in 1939 and was announced missing in action shortly after the beginning of the war.
The spoon which simplified identification. Photo by Georgia’s State Service for Veteran Affairs press office.
He was taking part in the Soviet-Finnish War.
An organisation named Searching Group-Northern Border found 13 bodies of soldiers in the suburb of Petersburg in 2016, among them was the body of Miminoshvili.
The body has already been transported to Georgia by the late soldier’s nephew and will be buried festively on July 23, in Kukia cemetery in Tbilisi.
Police have detained five individuals and later released them after the participants of the Russian-encouraged Immortal Regiment march- held every year on May 9 to commemorate the victory of the Soviet Union against Nazi Germany-and their opposers clashed near Vake Park in central Tbilisi earlier today.
The number of living veterans decreases year by year in Georgia. According to the State Service of Veterans Affairs data 769 WWII veterans were registered last year.
Today WWII veterans gathered at Vake Park to commemorate the day and lay wreaths at the memorial of the Unknown Soldiers who served in Georgia’s Armed Forces.
Tbilisi City Hall has provided financial assistance to World War II veterans and family members of deceased servicemembers for the celebrations of the 77th anniversary of the victory over fascism in World War II.
Georgia is today celebrating the 77th anniversary of the victory over the Nazi Germany by allied forces in World War II. On the occasion of the annual May 9 celebrations, the Ministry of Health and Tbilisi City Hall will provide one-time financial assistance to World War II veterans and family members of deceased servicemembers.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday congratulated the “heroic veterans” of World War II on the annual Day of Victory over Fascism, with Government members offering tributes to the servicemembers who gave their lives in the conflict.