Tskhinvali De Facto Regime Rejects Tbilisi's Position on 2008 War
By Messenger Staff
Monday, August 10, 2026
The Tskhinvali de facto regime has rejected Georgia's statements marking the 18th anniversary of the August 2008 war, saying responsibility for the conflict should be attributed to Georgia as a state and not only to the government of former President Mikheil Saakashvili.
The response followed a statement by Georgia's Foreign Ministry calling on Russia to end its occupation of Georgia's territories and fulfill its obligations under the August 12, 2008 ceasefire agreement brokered by the European Union.
The de facto regime said Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze had formally blamed Saakashvili's government for the start of the war, but argued that responsibility should extend to the Georgian state.
"It is also completely clear that Saakashvili is not the only one to blame," the statement said. It claimed that, as president, Saakashvili had acted on behalf of the Georgian state and that responsibility should also fall on those who implemented its policies.
The Tskhinvali de facto authorities also rejected Tbilisi's call for Russia to end its occupation, describing Russia as a "reliable guarantor of security" and defending its relations with Moscow.
The regime called on the Georgian government to stop "interference in the affairs of other countries" and take a "more constructive position," including in the Geneva International Discussions on the South Caucasus.
Kobakhidze said earlier that Georgian Dream holds Saakashvili's government responsible for launching the war, while also recognizing Russia's occupation of Georgian territory.
"On one side, there was the betrayal of Saakashvili and his regime, on the other side, there was the occupation carried out by the Russian Federation," Kobakhidze said. "The main thing for us is to give both facts a proper assessment."
Georgia's Foreign Ministry issued its statement on August 8, calling on Russia to end its "illegal occupation" of Georgian territories and its actions aimed at their de facto annexation, as well as to fully implement the 2008 ceasefire agreement.
August 7 marked the 18th anniversary of the start of the August 2008 war.
