Zaza Gogava, the former head of the United Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces during the August 2008 war, stated that the military successfully safeguarded the Tskhinvali evacuation corridor, allowing the population to flee.
Testifying before the “Temporary Investigative Commission on the Activities of the Regime and Political Officials from 2003-2012,” Gogava highlighted that the armed forces made significant sacrifices to keep this crucial escape route open.
“Almost every village from every valley was able to evacuate. This effort was carried out by the armed forces, including from Kurta, which belongs to this valley. They have one crossing point on the Liakhvi River, and they ascend through Tskhinvali to exit—there were no other escape routes. We managed the evacuation. This military decision required great sacrifices, and that’s how it should be. We serve the people,” Gogava stated.
When Commission Chair Tea Tsulukiani asked whether people evacuated on their own or were forcibly removed, Gogava clarified: “What you’re suggesting—that the armed forces escorted people out with orders like ‘Leave your homes’—did not happen. But we ensured that route remained open and protected the evacuation corridor. Tskveriakho was the only crossing point. Believe me, there was no other way to reach them at that time.”
Responding to Tsulukiani’s question about the strategy of evacuating while maintaining patience, especially considering the opposing side had already evacuated its population, Gogava explained that the other side’s actions were meant to escalate the conflict.
“The other side did this to provoke and escalate the situation. It was direct preparation for war, and nothing more. They made no moves to soften their stance and left no space for dialogue with politicians or international observers. They went straight to evacuation, and had we followed their lead, I would likely be sitting in The Hague, convicted,” Gogava stated.
Gogava underscored that the military’s primary mission was to protect civilians, even at great personal sacrifice.
In the Parliament of Georgia, the seventh session of the temporary investigative commission studying the activities of the “United National Movement” is underway.
Related story: Former Chief of Peacekeeping Operations HQ: Earlier evacuation in 2008 could have reduced casualties
