Georgia marks anniversary of death of national hero Antsukhelidze in Russia-Georgia war
Tweet 
Share
The Georgian public on Monday marked fourteen years since the death of national hero Giorgi Antsukhelidze, a servicemember captured in the Russia-Georgia war in 2008 before being tortured and killed by Russian forces and troops of the de facto authorities of the occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
Conscripted into the Georgian Armed Forces in 2001, the 24-year-old Junior Sergeant entered the 2008 conflict as an assistant gunner in the 41st Battalion of the 4th Infantry Brigade.
On the second day of hostilities he was captured by Russian forces and Tskhinvali troops during the battle in the central Georgian region, before being beaten to death.
Footage of his torture, recorded on a phone of one of his captors, was shared on the Internet in January 2009, months after the conflict had ended, and showed Antsukhelidze being interrogated and then tortured, after refusing to comply to humiliating orders.
The Georgian Defence Ministry shared the video in memory of Giorgi Antsukhelidze.
Antsukhelidze was considered missing until November 2008, when his identification was confirmed by genetic examination of bodies of soldiers transferred to the Georgian side. He was buried at the Mukhatgverdi Fraternal Cemetery near Tbilisi.
In 2013 Antsukhelidze was posthumously awarded the title of the National Hero by the Georgian Government for his services.
The war between Russia and Georgia took the lives of 169 servicemembers and professionals of the Ministry of Defence, along with 19 employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and 224 civilians.
Around 30,000 citizens of Georgia were forced to abandon their homes in the now-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
Today Georgia celebrates the 37th birthday of national hero Giorgi Antsukhelidze, who heroically sacrificed his life for his country in the Russian-Georgian war of 2008.
Today is the birthday of Georgian national hero Giorgi Antsukhelidze, who heroically sacrificed his life for his country in the Russian-Georgian war of 2008. Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia honoured the memory of Antsukhelidze and said that ‘we must remember him and pay tribute’.
Today is the birthday of Georgia’s national hero Giorgi Antsukhelidze, who heroically sacrificed his life for his country in the Russian-Georgian war of 2008. He would have turned 32 today.
The remains of dozens of Georgian soldiers fallen in the five-day war between Russia and Georgia have finally been put to rest.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday commemorated a group of Georgian soldiers who heroically lost their lives during the Russia-Georgia 2008 war in a battle in central Georgia’s Shindisi village.In his comments, Garibashvili said the Shindisi Battle was “one of the most impressive and outstanding battles in modern Georgian history”.
Georgia on Tuesday marked 18 years since the death of national hero Zaza Damenia, who saved the lives of his fellow servicemembers at the cost of his own during hostilities in the country’s now-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region in August 2004.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday commemorated the 38th anniversary of the birth of the late national hero Giorgi Antsukhelidze, a servicemember captured in the Russia-Georgia war in 2008 before being tortured and killed by Russian forces and troops of the de facto authorities of central Georgia’s occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Thursday commemorated “all heroes” of the Russia-Georgia war in 2008, including the employees of Poti Seaport who had died in the war.
Georgian Defence Minister Juansher Burchuladze on Monday paid a tribute to the memory of fallen servicemembers to mark Day of Commemoration of the Dead, a holiday for Orthodox Christian followers.