“Russians can occupy Georgia, but we would never yield”

• 12.08.2008, 13:20

For a few days Georgia lives at war. Russian troops are bombing Georgian towns. military operations are taking place all over the territory of Georgia. The charter’97 press-centre reached Tbilisi on the phone.

The Charter’97 press-centre was told about the life of the capital of Georgia by workers of Tbilisi advertising agency “Publicies Zenithoptimedia” Vsevolod Krutsko and Gabriel Sulaya. Vsevolod Krutko is a citizen of Minsk who works in Tbilisi now. Gabriel Sulaya is a Georgian from the capital of Georgia.

“Until now an idea to leave Tbilisi never occurred to me. It is still rather calm in the city. Yesterday, after reports that Russian troops are nearing Tbilisi, a panic struck the city. Many people wanted to leave. Long queues at petrol station formed. Prices for foodstuffs rose. People were saying that they do not know whether they are to live to see next morning. But today everything seems quiet. But certainly air communications with Batumi and Tbilisi are unavailable. Banks do not work today.

To say the truth, we, Belarusians living in Tbilisi, wanted to carry Belarusian flags with us all the time and speak Belarusian only, in order not to be mistaken for Russian. We wouldn’t like to be considered Russians,” Vsevolod Krutsko said.

“Yesterday I was in a suburb of Tbilisi with my wife and daughter. We saw many military men. When we heard that Russian troops are attacking, we went to the city immediately. My relatives live in Gori. They told us a lot. Russian mass media are lying. In reality they bombed Gori, and more than once. As I have been told, Russian planed were bombing Gori TV centre. Journalists are killed, including a journalist from the Netherlands. I am distressed for my relatives. They left for Borjomi because of bombing, having taken almost no things…

We are deeply grieving because of these events. Russians can certainly occupy Georgia, but that won’t decide anything. We would never surrender. The Georgian nation was always fighting for freedom. Freedom is the best thing we achieved. We are proud of being free. I have many clients in Russia, and we have good relations. Why should we be at war? Hate is incite by the Russian TV. In Autumn I took part in protest rallies against Saakashvili policies, but today I am with him. He is my president. And all the oppositional leaders think the same now. Today we all are one, one nation.

Now Russian mass media inform that the Russian army hasn’t entered the territory of Georgia. It is untrue! They were at 40% of the territory. In the Khodori Gorge a courageous, brave people, the Svans, are being slaughtered now.

I am a pacifist by nature. War is awful, but I have already volunteered. The country must be defended,” Gabriel Sulaya said.