At the time, Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sent troops into Georgia, justifying it as "protecting Russian citizens" and calling the aggressive war "peace enforcement." The war lasted only five days and resulted in Georgia losing control over Abkhazia and South Ossetia.Causes of the warIn 1991, Georgia declared independence, which triggered conflicts with separatists in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, supported by Russia. After several wars and frozen conflicts, so-called Russian "peacekeeping forces" were deployed in the region.Tensions between Russia and Georgia escalated after the pro-Western revolution in Tbilisi in 2003. In August 2008, hostilities erupted anew: on August 1, separatists shelled Georgian villages, and on August 7, Georgia launched an operation in South Ossetia to restore constitutional order in part of its territory, taking control of Tskhinvali.In response, Russia launched a full-scale invasion on August 8 under the pretext of "peace enforcement," attacking South Ossetia and other Georgian territories. The fighting was accompanied by a Black Sea blockade, cyberattacks, and an information war. The conflict ended on August 12 after the intervention of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who brokered a ceasefire.Espreso spoke with Georgian journalist Temur Kiguradze, who covered the war at the time. On the first day of armed confrontation, he was working in the epicenter of events — Tskhinvali. There, Russian militants killed two of his colleagues before his eyes. He himself was wounded and later captured.“The Russians spread lies 24 hours a day about Georgian tanks crushing children.”Did you personally realize that the suspended status of Abkhazia and Ossetia since the early ’90s, with so-called “Russian peacekeepers,” would sooner or later lead to war?Of course, everyone knew that the frozen conflicts would sooner or later erupt.No one in Georgia had any illusions that the so-called Russian "peacekeepers," under whatever cover, CIS or the UN, could prevent the conflict or ensure these territories would be returned under Georgian jurisdiction.Tensions periodically flared along the borders of these regions, the Tskhinvali region (as Georgia calls South Ossetia) and Abkhazia, even after the war supposedly ended formally. There were small conflicts both in the late ’90s and early 2000s.By 2006, the situation grew increasingly tense when Georgia clearly and firmly communicated to Moscow its pro-Western political orientation, aiming to join NATO and the European Union.There was a buildup of weapons, artillery systems, armored vehicles, and Russian troops conducting military training with Ossetian armed groups. The "peacekeepers" did nothing to stop this and, on the contrary, facilitated these processes.There are debates about the exact day the war began, August 7 or 8, but when did it really start?On August 2, large-scale Russian drills Caucasus 2008 ended in North Ossetia, and Russia left troops supposedly deployed for these exercises near the Roksky Tunnel entrance, which connects North and South Ossetia. On August 6, from the Black Sea Fleet bases in now temporarily occupied Crimea, the Russian Navy, including landing ships, moved toward Georgia. So, we’re not even talking about August 7, but several days before that.According to other information, on August 5 and 6, Russian artillery systems were moved through mountain passes into South Ossetia. The influx of volunteers into the Tskhinvali region also began. Again, this is before August 7. So, when asked whether the war started on August 7 or 8, I say the active phase of the conflict began several days earlier. The actual firing started on the night of August 7 to 8.How thoroughly did Russia prepare for this war? What were the signs of its inevitability?A few days before the conflict began, the evacuation of civilians started in the Tskhinvali region. Estimates vary from 40,000 to 60,000 people. This is a very small region, and most of the civilian population was transported out by special buses, which again proves that Russia was preparing for a military operation there.But not all civilians left. We saw that part of the population remained in the city, either unable or unwilling to leave.                                                                                                   Russian missile strike on a column of Georgian troops, photo: Getty ImagesYou witnessed the start of the war firsthand. Tell us about your trip to Tskhinvali and what emotions you felt then.I was still a very young reporter working for a daily newspaper in Tbilisi. When we learned the war had started, four of us, two Georgians, a Ukrainian, and an American, drove toward Tskhinvali. We entered the city, where the sound of artillery was already audible and signs of fighting were visible.Despite our "Press" markings, Russian troops shot two of my colleagues. They opened machine-gun fire on us. I was wounded and taken prisoner. About two weeks later, thanks to efforts by journalists and international organizations, including the Red Cross, I managed to leave.Outside South Ossetia, several Georgian villages and towns were captured, as well as military bases where looting and pillaging occurred. There is famous footage showing soldiers literally ripping toilets from buildings and taking them away. One well-known case was Russian soldiers stealing air conditioners but not knowing they consist of two units, indoor and outdoor, and only taking the indoor units.The Russian-Georgian war is also referred to as the first war in which cyber warfare, hacker attacks, and website blocking took place simultaneously. What can you tell us about this? Was this really the case?This was probably the first hybrid war in human history. At least, it was the first full-scale aggression in which information and digital technologies were used. It was a war in which there were already TV channels such as Russia 24, which broadcast propaganda 24 hours a day. They openly claimed that Georgians had allegedly killed more than 2,000 civilians in South Ossetia in a couple of days, crushing children with tanks, and that they were forced to intervene. Of course, this was an absolute lie, unconfirmed by the international community or even later by the Russians themselves.Russia tested new technologies on Georgia in 2008, which then helped prepare their attack on Ukraine in 2014.“The war in Georgia was a rehearsal for the invasion of Ukraine.”I have a question: can the war in Georgia be considered a rehearsal for the war in Ukraine?I am absolutely certain that this is the case. August 2008 was a testing ground for Russia to assess its own forces. It tested its military forces, propaganda forces, and influence in the post-Soviet space. Also, and very importantly, it tested the reaction of the Western community. Would there be a response to what Russia was doing in such a small region? Unfortunately, as we saw in 2008, there was no adequate response to Russian aggression from either the United States or the European community. There was condemnation and support, especially from Eastern European countries, namely the Baltic states, Poland, and Ukraine, of course, but there were no sanctions against Russia. There was no military response. On the contrary, just a few months later, President Obama, or rather US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, launched the so-called reset of U.S.-Russian relations.At that time, the Georgian leadership was shouting that Ukraine would be next, followed by Moldova. However, at that time, these warnings were literally laughed at.What lessons should Ukrainians learn from the Georgian war, and what lessons can Georgians take from the current Russian-Ukrainian war?                         Russian soldiers raise the Russian flag on their tank in the city of Tskhinvali on August 11, 2008, photo: Getty ImagesThis is such a difficult question right now... I think the whole world should have learned its lesson. After all, it doesn't matter whether a country is small or large, when injustice occurs, when military aggression occurs, the response must be tough and immediate from all countries that consider themselves civilized. Unfortunately, this did not happen.At that time, we received tremendous support from Ukraine, support at the level of the international community. This left a big mark on Ukrainian-Georgian relations.And you know now that a huge number of volunteers, Georgians, are fighting in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.All these soldiers are motivated by one thing only — the desire to fight against our common enemy. Russia has shown its true colors and once again proven that it is the enemy of Georgians, Ukrainians, Moldovans, and the citizens of the Baltic states. Although, of all the countries that border Russia, from Finland to Japan, with which has Russia not been at war? And this history will repeat itself.And how did it happen that, after such painful events in Georgia, pro-Russian forces came to power?They did not come to power overnight. Saakashvili left many people in Georgia feeling wronged and angry. There was a sense of injustice during his rule, and people decided to elect a different government. This was especially true when they saw that the international response to Russia's aggression against Georgia was not as harsh as we would have liked.In 2012, parliamentary elections were held, in which the Georgian Dream party was elected, which in no way positioned itself as a pro-Russian party, on the contrary. They positioned themselves (and still do, by the way) as a party that would lead Georgia to the European Union.But they talked about a pragmatic approach, about the fact that we must have good relations with the West and prevent war with Russia. And the people, who understood that they could not withstand another war with Russia, at least part of the population, liked this position. With each passing year, Georgian Dream became more and more pro-Russian. Pro-Western members began to leave the party. This continued for about a decade, and after the pandemic, after 2020, and especially after 2023, the Georgian government consisted of pro-Russian politicians. And they decided to bring Georgia under the tacit control of Russia, which is being strengthened by Russian investments and trade with Russia. The population did not notice this at first, but now some are protesting, in particular by fighting against Russia as part of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The situation is very, very difficult.       A Russian soldier runs past the body of a Georgian soldier on the outskirts of Tskhinvali on August 11, 2008, photo: Getty ImagesConsidering all these nuances, how do you see Georgia’s future?I think things will be bad. In the next year at least, Georgia will face major shocks and events. The tension won’t disappear, and this government won’t leave voluntarily. We depend on what happens in Ukraine.If this war ends fairly and Russia receives the punishment it deserves for its aggression and crimes in Ukraine, this will also affect Georgia. If Russia gets away scot-free, if Trump's efforts do not lead to a fair resolution of this conflict, then I do not think Georgia has a bright future in the near term. In the long term, I am absolutely confident that everything will be fine. The Georgian state is 2,500 years old. We survived the Mongols and the Arab Caliphate, and we will survive this, of course. But in the short term, unfortunately, I am feeling anxious.