Ilia II, the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia’s Orthodox Church, on Wednesday sent his condolences to the families and relatives of Georgian volunteers killed in combat action near the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut on Saturday.
Your sadness, and that of ours, is great because of the death of five Georgians during the fierce battle near Bakhmut on December 3, who sacrificed their lives for the support of their kin”, the letter of condolence said.
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, with 33 casualties recorded among the ranks since the conflict broke out.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday sent his condolences on the deaths of Georgian volunteers over the recent days, calling the reported events a “tragedy for us”.