Georgia commemorates fallen in Shindisi battle of Russia-Georgia 2008 war
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Georgia is commemorating today a group of soldiers who lost their lives during the Russia-Georgia 2008 war in a battle in Shindisi village in central Georgia.
On the day 12 years ago a 21-member detachment of Georgian soldiers came face-to-face with Russian soldiers in the village of Shindisi. The Russians greatly outnumbered the Georgian soldiers and ordered them to surrender, but they refused.
The uneven battle continued for 45 minutes.
Despite being greatly outnumbered, Georgians inflicted significant damage on their enemy. All but four of the Georgian soldiers died in the fight.
The Shindidi battle is one of the most distinguished and exciting battles in modern Georgian history. Today we are commemorating the heroes of the battle and bow before them and their families,” Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Garibashvili stated earlier today at the memorial of the heroes.
This day, 12 years ago, the Russia-Georgia War started, during which our soldiers retained our statehood for the price of heroism and sacrifice. I'm confident that the occupation of our territories is temporary and Georgia will be united with a peaceful and pragmatic policy.
— Irakli Garibashvili (@GharibashviliGe) August 7, 2020
- Award-winning 2008 war drama 'Shindisi' screened by Georgian embassies abroad to mark anniversary
- Georgia marks 12 years since 2008 war
The 17 heroes of the Shindidi battle who were killed are as follows: Aleksandre Oniani, Emzar Tsilosani, Vepkhia Jishkariani, Zviad Katsadze, Teimuraz Beridze, Ilia Gabunia, Ilia Sheklashvili, Irakli Janelidze, Kakha Koshadze, Levan Mikeladze, Marlen Baramia, Mikheil Dvalishvili, Nikoloz Porchkhidze, Roman Zoidze, Ruslan Tsuladze, Peliks Kakauridze and Shmagi Kupatadze.
Award-winning drama feature Shindisi, Georgia's former Oscar selection, is screened by embassies of the country abroad to mark 12 years since the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia, with other screenings and exhibitions also dedicated to the anniversary on Saturday.
One of the mountain peaks in Dusheti Municipality has been renamed after Georgian fighter pilot Zurab Iarajuli.
The Georgian National Film Center (GNFC) released the first trailer of Shindisi, a film about 17 soldiers who died during the August 2008 Georgia-Russia war.
Georgia is today commemorating a group of heroes of the Russia-Georgia war who heroically sacrificed their lives in a ‘David and Goliath’ type battle that took place in Shindisi Village in central Georgia.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia and President Salome Zurabishvili have paid tribute to the 17 soldiers who lost their lives in the Shindisi battle, during the Russia-Georgia war in 2008.
Georgia’s Defence Ministry and servicemembers of the Defence Forces on Saturday paid tribute to those who died in the 1993 Battle of Tamishi during the war in Georgia’s northeastern region of Abkhazia.
Tea Akhvlediani, the Georgian State Minister for Reconciliation and Civil Equality, said on Thursday the “deeds and heroism” of Georgian servicemembers killed in the 2008 Russia-Georgia war placed a “big responsibility” on the Government to ensure peaceful development of the country, in comments commemorating the anniversary of a battle in central Georgia’s Shindisi village during the conflict where a group of Georgian soldiers heroically lost their lives in an unequal engagement with the invading forces.
Georgia’s Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze on Thursday revealed Government plans to commemorate the Georgian servicemembers who fell in the Shindisi Battle of the 2008 Russia-Georgia war by opening a monument and a museum in their memory.