Georgia’s Interior Minister pays tribute to police officers killed in 2008 war

Georgia’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Geka Geladze, has honoured the memory of police officers who died during the 2008 Russia–Georgia war, laying a wreath at a memorial in the ministry’s courtyard alongside deputy ministers and the families of the fallen.

The ceremony marked 17 years since the five-day war on Friday, during which 19 officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) lost their lives in the line of duty. The memorial was also adorned with flowers by heads of various MIA departments.

Speaking after the commemoration, Geladze met with relatives of the deceased and pledged the ministry’s continued support for their families.

“The contribution of our officers who died defending Georgia’s unity is invaluable. The Ministry of Internal Affairs will always stand by the families of our heroes,” Geladze pledged.

Later in the day, the minister visited the Special Tasks Department base, where he again laid a wreath at a separate memorial dedicated to fallen officers and observed a minute of silence in their honour. A memorial prayer service was also held for the souls of the deceased.

The August 2008 conflict between Georgia and Russia resulted in hundreds of deaths and the displacement of tens of thousands.