Georgia’s foreign office urges Russia to withdraw troops on 17th anniversary of 2008 war

Georgia has reiterated its demand for Russia to withdraw its military forces from Georgian territory and abide by the 2008 ceasefire agreement, as the country marks 17 years since the outbreak of the five-day war between the two nations.

In a statement released on Friday, Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it called Russia’s “ongoing occupation” of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia), which broke away following the brief but intense conflict in August 2008.

“Seventeen years have passed since the full-scale military aggression by Russia against Georgia,” the ministry said. “Russia continues to violate the fundamental norms of international law, refuses to implement the EU-mediated ceasefire agreement of 12 August 2008, and persists in its illegal military presence on Georgian soil.”

The ministry accused Moscow of deepening the integration of the occupied territories into Russia’s political, economic, military, and social systems, describing recent actions as particularly alarming. It also said Russia was obstructing the access of international organisations to the territories and preventing the deployment of international security mechanisms.

“Russia hinders the safe and dignified return of internally displaced persons and refugees to their homes,” the statement added, noting that international judicial bodies such as the International Criminal Court and the European Court of Human Rights had confirmed violations of international law by Russia in rulings issued between 2021 and 2024.

Georgia reaffirmed its commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict through diplomatic and legal means and in close cooperation with international partners. The government also pledged to continue its engagement in the Geneva International Discussions – the only diplomatic forum involving both Georgia and Russia since the war – with a focus on full implementation of the ceasefire deal and the return of displaced persons.

Tbilisi emphasised the importance of restoring the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in the Gali region without preconditions, as well as holding regular IPRM meetings in both Gali and Ergneti.

The statement concluded with an appeal to Russia to reverse its recognition of the occupied regions' so-called independence and respect Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs pays tribute to the heroic servicemembers and civilians who lost their lives during the 2008 war,” it said.

The war, which erupted over control of Tskhinvali, resulted in hundreds of deaths and led to the displacement of tens of thousands of people. Russia later recognised Tskhinvali and Abkhazia as independent states - a move condemned by Georgia and most of the international community.