Mikheil Saakashvili, former President of Georgia, highlighted the significant role Ukrainians played in rescuing thousands of people during the Abkhazia conflict. He recounted how Ukrainian pilots, under fire, evacuated thousands, while Ukrainian ships rescued tens of thousands more.
Reflecting on the anniversary of the fall of Sukhumi and the occupation of Abkhazia by Russian forces and local separatists, Saakashvili described it as a tragedy that claimed over 30,000 lives, displacing hundreds of thousands and turning them into refugees. He emphasized that in 1993, only Ukraine offered assistance during this crisis.
He expressed gratitude for the support and said that Georgians remember this aid well. “Georgians know they have no closer brothers than Ukrainians. However, this brotherhood is currently being undermined by the pro-Russian government in Georgia, but this will not happen,” Saakashvili added. He concluded with a heartfelt message of thanks, stating, “On behalf of all the people here, Ukrainians, I want to say: thank you and glory to Ukraine!”
Context
- Abkhazia, along with South Ossetia, is recognized as occupied territories by Georgian law. These regions declared independence from Tbilisi in the early 1990s. In the 2000s, countries such as Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Nauru recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
