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The News in Brief

Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Prepared by Messenger Staff

Nikoloz Ginturi Reveals his Brother, Major During 2008 War, Was Targeted by Russian Troops

Nikoloz Ginturi, the brother of Tamaz Ginturi, who was shot and killed by the Russian forces at the South Ossetia border discussed the circumstances of his brother's murder with journalists. According to Ginturi, the Russian forces targeted his brother, who had served as a Major during the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, and ultimately located and killed him.

"My brother was at the grave of his deceased parents. He lit a candle, went back, and saw Lomisa Church. He wanted to go up there, went up to the church, circled it three times, lit the candles, he was attacked from behind. Two bullets hit him. When they brought him, he was already dead.

In 2008, he participated in the war; he was a major. As far as I know, he was searched for and was caught. There were 9 people, and how could two people fight 9 people? They couldn't fight 9 armed people with bare hands," said Nikoloz Ginturi.

On November 6, Russian occupation forces killed one Georgian citizen, Tamaz Ginturi, and arrested another, Levan Dotiashvili, near the village of Kirbali, in Gori municipality.



Russian-Occupied Tskhinvali Claims Killed Georgian Citizens Were 'Intoxicated'

The so-called Security Service of the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali addressed the murder of a Georgian citizen, Tamaz Ginturi, and the kidnapping of another Georgian citizen near the village of Kirbali on November 6.

Occupied Tskhinvali claims that the Georgian citizens were 'intoxicated'.

"While attempting to arrest them, they resisted and threatened the lives and health of the border guards. The intruders used an axe. Subsequently, they attempted to strike a border guard with a car and escape to Georgia.

In an effort to halt these illegal actions and prevent the illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of South Ossetia, the border guards fired a warning shot. Due to continued disobedience toward the legal directives, they subsequently opened fire on the car's tires," the statement reads.