The heroes who died in the vicinity of Shindisi settlement, in the Gori district of Shida Kartli region during the August 2008 Georgian-Russian war, were remembered in Shindisi today. 15 years have passed since the Shindisi Battle.
Shindisi Battle took place on August 11, 2008. Seventeen soldiers died defending Georgia’s territorial integrity against Russian occupation forces.
The 17 member detachment of the II Infantry Brigade of Armed Forces of Georgia engaged in an unequal battle near Shindisi railway station with Russian forces. The Russians were several times more in number with a heavy weapon. The battle lasted more than one hour, during which the occupational forces had to twice call for reinforcements. 17 Georgian soldiers fought till the end.
Georgia marks the 15th anniversary of the August 2008 Georgia-Russia war. 15 years have passed since the large-scale military invasion of the Russian Federation in Georgia and the illegal occupation of Georgia’s regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia. The 20% of Georgia’s territory still remains occupied.
The war left 412 people dead, including 169 soldiers, and 1747 – wounded. 130,000 locals were turned into Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), of which 30,000 still live as refugees.
The consequences of the war are 35,000 houses destroyed, and 5 gorges and 125 villages occupied by Russia. Georgian citizens are still forced to live beyond the artificially installed barbed wires.
Military hostilities lasted 5 days and ended with the 2008 ceasefire agreement mediated by the international community.
Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states soon after. Official Moscow continues non-fulfillment of the truce agreement.
Image: Getty Images
