"To whom should the families of the Shindisi battle heroes apologize? My husband sacrificed for the country's freedom in vain. Are we an aggressor country? Did he fight in the war of the aggressors? What should our children be proud of? When government representatives come and pose at Emzar Tsilosani's grave, who was Emzar? Can you answer me?" This is how Teo Tsilosani, the wife of Emzar Tsilosani - a soldier who died in the 2008 Russia-Georgia war and was honored as a Hero of Shindisi - responded to the statement made yesterday by Bidzina Ivanishvili, the leader of the ruling Georgian Dream, who suggested that we should apologize because the "treacherous National Movement burned our Ossetian sisters and brothers in 2008."
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"Who should my children apologize to - the Russians? The Ossetians? To whom, tell me, government!
Or people of Gori, you know best who started the war. Why did you let Ivanishvili appeal in such a treacherous way? He even laughed at us; it was an address specifically intended for Gori...
Explain to whom the families of the heroes of the Shindisi battle should apologize!" wrote Teo Tsilosani on social media.
On August 11, 2008, in the village of Shindisi, the engineering platoon of the Second Infantry Brigade of the Georgian Armed Forces engaged in a fierce battle with a Russian machine gun company. The battle lasted about an hour. Although the enemy had a numerical advantage, the Georgian soldiers put up a strong resistance and inflicted significant losses. Seventeen Georgian soldiers died in the battle of Shindis. The heroes of Shindis are: Aleksandre Oniani, Emzar Tsilosani, Vefkhvia 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, Pelix Kakauridze, and Shmagi Kupatadze.
Maka Chikviladze, the wife of Georgia's national hero Giorgi Antsukhelidze, responded to Ivanishvili's statement.
"I'm sorry, Giorgi. August 9, 2008... the boot of the 'Ossetian brothers' on Giorgi's back," wrote the wife of the national hero, sharing a photo depicting the torture of Giorgi Antsukhelidze.
On August 9, 2008, 23-year-old Giorgi Antsukhelidze went missing while the 21st Brigade of Vaziani was fighting in the so-called Shanghai district of Tskhinvali. The video shows the captured Georgian soldier being tortured by Ossetian militants and Russian occupiers. They take turns jumping on Giorgi's back and forcing him to kiss the ground.
Kremlin propagandist Margarita Simonyan responded to this statement from the leader of the ruling party of Georgia. She shared Ivanishvili's quote on social media and wrote:
"Georgia behaves incredibly adequately. As if it had come out of years of alcoholism ('zapoi') or psychosis. In short, we warmly welcome you!"
