Georgian PM hails national 2008 war hero on 39th birthday

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday paid homage to the memory of Giorgi Antsukhelidze, a servicemember captured in the 2008 Russia-Georgia war before being tortured and killed by Russian forces and troops of the de facto authorities of central Georgia’s occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, on his 39th birthday. 

In his social media post, the head of the Government highlighted the late servicemember had become a symbol of an “unbroken Georgian soul” and left behind an “eternal example” of dedication and heroism for future generations.

He noted the day of Antsukhelidze’s death caused “huge pain” but also “huge pride”, and commemorated the “self-sacrifice” of the 23-year-old Junior Sergeant who entered the conflict as an assistant gunner in the 41st Battalion of the 4th Infantry Brigade. 

Antsukhelidze was captured by Russian forces and separatirst Tskhinvali troops on the second day of hostilities in the central Georgian region, before being beaten to death.

Footage of his torture, recorded on the 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 with humiliating orders.

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 he 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 region.