Former Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has become a pariah in his own country due to his reckless decision to instigate the 2008 conflict with Russia, according to former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. In an interview with RT and TASS news agency, Medvedev stated that Saakashvili bears full responsibility for the bloodshed that occurred 15 years ago.
The five-day war began on August 8, 2008, when Saakashvili, with the backing of the United States, sent troops into Georgia’s breakaway region of South Ossetia and shelled the base of Russian peacekeepers. In response, Moscow recognized the independence of South Ossetia and another breakaway region called Abkhazia, shortly after defeating the Georgian Army.
At the time, Medvedev was president and ordered Russian forces to intervene when the Georgian Army attacked Russian peacekeepers stationed in South Ossetia since the 1990s. Medvedev emphasized that Saakashvili’s inflated self-esteem and reckless decision-making turned him into a political corpse, describing him as a psychopath.
When asked if Saakashvili should face a tribunal for starting the 2008 war, Medvedev replied that God and history had already condemned him in the harshest way possible. Medvedev added that Saakashvili has become a pariah in his own country.
Saakashvili, who was voted out of office in 2012 and fled to the US, briefly re-emerged as a politician in Ukraine from 2015 to 2016 before returning to Georgia. He is currently serving a six-year prison sentence for abuse of power and has faced additional charges, including for violently dispersing a 2007 anti-government protest in Tbilisi. Saakashvili and his supporters argue that the prosecution against him is politically motivated. They also allege that he is not receiving adequate medical care while in custody, as evidenced by his significant weight loss.
The conflict between Saakashvili’s Georgia and Russia in 2008 resulted in numerous casualties and had long-lasting consequences for the region. While Medvedev holds Saakashvili accountable for his reckless actions, many have criticized Russia’s recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as violations of international law. The conflict remains a contentious issue, with both sides presenting different narratives about the events that occurred.
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