On the night of August 7-8, 2008, a massive shelling of Tskhinval by Georgian artillery began, the response to which was immediate. The event went down in history under the name of the Five-Day War: until the night of August 13, terrible shelling and attacks continued. There could be no winners - the losses in the war in South Ossetia on both sides, both in the face of the military and civilians, are huge, and we are not talking about the numbers or numbers of those who died during hostilities.
Background
Growing tensions in political relations between Georgia and Russia were clearly seen in early 2008. The South Ossetian conflict was exacerbated by Russia's removal of the quota of flank restrictions on the deployment of offensive weapons in the North Caucasus Military District. In the spring of the same year, Russia withdrew from the ban on trade and financial ties with Abkhazia, which was regarded by Georgia as an encouragement of separatism and an attempt to encroach on its territory. Such actions have becomeprerequisites for the war in South Ossetia and Georgia.
Shortly after that, Eduard Kokoity urged Vladimir Putin to refrain from rash actions, otherwise the consequences would be tragic, as Georgian military units are approaching the borders of his republic. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, in turn, began to take measures to strengthen its positions: it was pointless to deny the evidence of the approaching war.
It is noteworthy that at the same moment Georgia and the United States were conducting a joint exercise called "Immediate Response", where, according to Zaur Alborov, a military researcher, an attack on South Ossetia was being practiced. Russian railway troops were repairing tracks in Abkhazia to be ready to protect civilians.
At the end of July, skirmishes began to take place on the territory of South Ossetia, after which Prime Minister Yuri Morozov organized the evacuation of residents of Tskhinvali.
Positions of the warring parties: Russia and Georgia
The reasons for Russia's reaction (according to Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister) was Georgia's aggression against unprepared residents of a country not controlled by it. The consequences were a sharp increase in the number of refugees, the death of residents of South Ossetia and Russian peacekeepers. It all looked like genocide.
The Georgian side reacted to the South Ossetian provocations and found in Russia's behavior the prerequisites for the outbreak of war.
When it was all over, there was an investigation into the conflict in the South Caucasus. The Commission was led by the EU and headed by Heidi Tagliavini, an expert fromSweden.
An international investigation found Georgia guilty as the party that started hostilities. But the attack was the result of a protracted provocation in the conflict zone.
Chronicles of the war in South Ossetia
As a result of night shelling from the Georgian side, large buildings of Tskhinval were damaged and burned, including the South Ossetian Parliament building, a complex of government buildings and buildings in the city center. Residential buildings were also burned down. Needless to say, how many people suffered, died during these actions. Part of the city and eight Ossetian villages were taken under the control of armed Georgian troops.
Russia immediately sent additional forces to South Ossetia to support and protect Ossetians and peacekeepers.
On the eve of the start of the night bombing, Mikhail Saakashvili appeared on television with an appeal to the people of Georgia and a statement that he had given the order not to return fire in the conflict zone. But this did not prevent shelling using mortars, grenade launchers and multiple rocket launchers. Later, the air force also joined in.
At 15.00, the President of Russia went on television to voice and confirm his intention to protect the citizens of the Russian Federation, wherever they are. Now the Russian Federation was forced to take measures to force Georgia to peace.
On August 9, additional units of Russian troops were introduced, including airborne troops. The road to Tskhinvali from the north was unblocked thanks to them, and the very next day the Georgian troops were completely driven out of the territory of South Ossetia.
Humanitarian corridors were opened for the withdrawal of refugees, Ossetian and Georgian, wounded and injured: now Tskhinval is taken under the control of peacekeepers.
Medvedev-Sarkozy plan
On September 8, after numerous and lengthy negotiations between Dmitry Medvedev and Nicolas Sarkozy, which began immediately after the end of the war in South Ossetia, a plan was developed to resolve the conflict. Mikheil Saakashvili accepted it, making a small amendment, which ultimately did not change anything.
The very first paragraphs of the plan banned the use of force and called for a final cessation of hostilities, returning the troops of both sides to their places of permanent location.
However, according to Nicolas Sarkozy, a six-point text cannot settle everything, answer all questions and solve the problem definitively.
Conflict casu alties: memory of the victims of the war in South Ossetia
Georgians remember hundreds of people who died in the war. Among them were all: the military, residents of villages and cities, and even children. Mourning actions are held annually in their memory, wreaths were laid at the graves of the military, and photographs of the victims and candles were placed on the steps of the parliament of the republic.
According to Georgia (only official), the losses amounted to 412 dead. 1747 people were injured, 24 were missing. According to South Ossetia, more than 162. In Russia - up to 400 killed. It is worth remembering that the numbers will never convey what the families of the victims are still experiencing and that, without a war, their fate could have turned out differently: no one andnothing can replace a loved one. And this is a huge, not passing pain. And that is why each of us must do everything so that the war does not start at all, death will never solve political differences, moreover, it should not become a lever of influence: people are created for more than killing.
Films about the war in South Ossetia
Not a single war can pass without a trace: film directors tried to reflect the events that took place against the backdrop of the conflict in South Ossetia as much as possible. And the easiest way to do this was by talking about the fate of an ordinary person, about how his life could radically change with the start of a terrible war.
"Olympus Inferno" (directed by Igor Voloshin, Russia)
Despite the small budget, the film became popular thanks to an interesting idea, the game of actors who approached the matter with full emotional and professional dedication. According to the plot, an American entomologist arrives in South Ossetia together with a Russian journalist, once his classmate. They set up cameras to record the flight of a rare breed of butterflies - the "Olympus inferno", but instead the lens captures the movement of Georgian troops towards Ossetia. The heroes are trying by all means to save the record in order to open the eyes of the world to the truth about the beginning of the war.
"5 days in August" (Renny Harlin, USA)
The film caused a negative public reaction because of the anti-Russian agitation. According to the plot, it is Russia that is the first to launchrockets. The picture was shown only in three cinemas, and the funds spent on shooting, many times exceeded the box office. All this confirms the hypothesis about the intent of filming. There is a lot of blood, murders, fights in it, sometimes it seems that the author shot a blockbuster, and not a film containing true emotions, empathy, pain.
War documentary
Its name is "Operation in South Ossetia. Time of Heroes" (Russia, "Weapon TV").
The documentary about the war in South Ossetia consistently, details its history. The narration comes from the lips of peacekeepers - participants in the battles. The film is recommended for viewing, especially for those who are looking for the truth.
and “City of Disconsolate Mothers.”
After watching documentaries, you involuntarily think about what we would do in the place of these people, and the thoughts that come in response change something inside, forcing us to rethink important aspects of our everyday life, the lives and destinies of those who are close or far. The understanding comes that it is important not the distance, but what unites us.
