Eighteen years have passed since the Battle of Shindisi, one of the deadliest episodes of the August 2008 Russia-Georgia war, in which 17 Georgian soldiers were killed.
On August 11, 2008, servicemen of the 2nd Infantry Brigade of the Georgian Defense Forces, together with an engineering unit, were moving in a motorized convoy through the village of Shindisi in Gori Municipality when they were ambushed by a Russian military unit near the Shindisi railway station.
A fierce close-range battle followed, with fighting taking place within a radius of approximately 70 meters.
Despite having limited combat resources and facing a larger Russian force, the Georgian servicemen continued fighting and inflicted significant losses on the opposing forces.
Seventeen Georgian soldiers were killed in the battle: Aleksandre Oniani, Emzar Tsilosani, Vepkhvia Jishkariani, Zviad Katsadze, Teimuraz Beridze, Ilia Gabunia, Ilia Sheklashvili, Irakli Janelidze, Kakha Koshadze, Levan Melkadze, Marlen Baramia, Mikheil Dvalishvili, Nikoloz Porchkhidze, Roman Zoidze, Ruslan Tsuladze, Felix Kakauridze and Shmagi Kupatadze.
On Monday, government officials, members of the public, fellow servicemen and relatives of those killed are expected to gather in Shindisi to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the battle and pay tribute to the fallen soldiers.
The Battle of Shindisi took place on August 11, three days after the outbreak of large-scale hostilities in the August 2008 Russia-Georgia war.
