Parliament Speaker sends condolences over death of 6 Georgian volunteers in Ukraine

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday sent his condolences over the recent death of six Georgian volunteers in Ukraine, with five of them killed near the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut on Saturday amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, calling it a “great loss for our country”. 

Speaking to the media, the Georgian official noted 33 Georgian volunteers had been killed in the Ukraine war since the outbreak of hostilities in late February.

This, of course, is a great loss for our country. I want to express my condolences to the families of the victims, their relatives and Georgia as a whole", Papuashvili said. 

Responding to what was the deadliest day for Georgian volunteers since the beginning of the conflict, President Salome Zourabichvili also extended her condolences on Saturday, saying the country was experiencing “difficult minutes”. 

Avto Rurua, Romeo Pirchakhia, Roland Kvaratskhelia, Badri Markelia and Merab Aladashvili became the latest casualties among Georgian volunteers in Ukraine on Saturday, while Jambulat Khoperia died on Thursday.

The first Georgian volunteer was killed in the conflict on March 18, shortly after the beginning of the Russian invasion on February 24.