Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has branded Russia an “aggressor” Today as he marked 15 years since the two countries fought a war over a breakaway region.
Russia sent thousands of troops into Georgia on August 8, 2008, after Tbilisi launched a large-scale military operation against South Ossetian separatists who had been shelling Georgian villages in the region. Garibashvili’s government has been criticized by the opposition for having pro-Russian leanings. Russia routed Georgia’s small army in 2008, occupying large swathes of territory over five days before a ceasefire was mediated by the then-French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
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Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who authorised the military action in 2008, defended Moscow’s actions in a statement marking the anniversary. He also criticized the West for supporting the then Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, drawing parallels with the West’s backing for Kyiv during Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
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