It has been second day since five Georgian fighters were killed in battle near Bakhmut on December 3.
Merab Aladashvili, Romeo Kvaratskhelia, Badri Markelia, Romeo Pichkhaia, and Avto Rurua died defending the Eastern Ukrainian city facing Russian attacks, bringing the total Georgian deaths in Ukraine since February to 33.
For two days, President Salome Zourabichvili was the only Georgian official to have expressed condolences.
It was only after three days and widespread criticism that Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili expressed condolences.
Despite calls, no national mourning was declared.
Garibashvili also lashed back at critics, calling them “party of war.”
“I want to remind everyone that those people, the so-called party of war and the party of traitors, since the start of the war in Ukraine, try to stage certain provocations, they organize this now; and representatives of the war party also take our citizens to Ukraine,” Mr Garibashvili said at the Government meeting today.
This silence has contrasted with the expression of sympathy in Ukraine’s own political leadership.
“In the last few days, Georgian servicemen of the 57th Brigade were encircled. We know of their wounded commander and five killed Georgian soldiers. They fought for peace and freedom! Freedom units’ best men in fight against autocratic evil,” Andey Yermak, Chief of Volodymyr Zelenksy’s administration wrote in Georgian language.
Goga Khaindrava, a Georgian Dream propagandist closely linked with Bidzina Ivanishvili lashed back at the calls: “When our guys died heroically in Afghanistan against the enemy, where was your instinct? Why were you not mourning our brothers? You, UNM pharisees,’ Khaindrava wrote on Twitter
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