“Seventeen years after the 2008 war, Georgia has a de facto government that blames its own country for the war and punishes the then commander-in-chief, Saakashvili, for refusing to surrender the state to the enemy,” stated Tina Bokuchava, chairwoman of the United National Movement.

Bokuchava declared that Antsukhelidze [Georgia’s national hero, Sergeant Giorgi Antsukhelidze, a soldier in the 41st Battalion of the 4th Infantry Brigade, heroically lost his life during the 2008 Russo-Georgia war] is immortal, as is the Georgian state, which Putin could not diminish and which Putin’s servant Bidzina Ivanishvili will never diminish.

“Seventeen years after the 2008 war, Georgia has a de facto government that blames its own country for the war and punishes the then commander-in-chief, President Saakashvili, for refusing to surrender the Georgian state to the enemy. An enemy that demands we apologise and dares to insult Georgia’s national hero, the unbreakable symbol of Georgia, Giorgi Antsukhelidze,” Bokuchava stated.

The UNM Chair went on to say, “Today, we are here to make the voice of the real Georgia heard by the traitor Ivanishvili, his minions, and their master in the Kremlin, that Antsukhelidze is a hero, Antsukhelidze is immortal, and the Georgian state is immortal. Putin could achieve nothing against it, and Putin’s servant Ivanishvili will achieve nothing either.

Yes, Antsukhelidze is a hero! He is immortal, and just as he refused to yield, so Georgia will never yield to internal or external enemies. Glory to the heroes, glory to Georgia, may God protect Georgia!” Bokuchava stated.

The United National Movement chairwoman, alongside General Secretary Petre Tsiskarishvili and regional secretary Giorgi Botkoveli, visited the memorial to national hero Giorgi Antsukhelidze in the village of Alvani, Akhmeta municipality, to pay their respects to his memory.

It has been 17 years since the 2008 Russo-Georgian war. On August 7, 2008, separatist forces commenced intense shelling of Georgian villages, prompting a response from Georgian forces. The following day, Russian occupation troops entered the region. As a result of Russia’s military aggression against Georgia, 411 people lost their lives, approximately 130,000 citizens became IDPs in their own country, numerous villages were destroyed, and the city of Gori, along with strategic facilities, were heavily bombed. Russia continues to occupy 20 per cent of Georgia’s territory to this day.