The bodies of two Georgian fighters — David Gogadze and Bacho Bebia, who were killed at different times during the full-scale war between the Russian Federation and Ukraine — have been repatriated to Tbilisi.
David Gogadze died on May 7, 2024, at the age of 37. He was a member of the Georgian combat unit “Black Eagle.” For a long time, his body could not be evacuated from the battlefield. Gogadze will be buried in Telavi, his hometown.
It is reported that David Gogadze entered the battlefield to rescue a wounded Georgian comrade, at which point he was shot by a sniper.
His family learned of his departure for Ukraine late. Gogadze initially went to work in Poland and then traveled to Ukraine, which his relatives were unaware of. He is survived by his wife and child.
Another fighter, 32-year-old Bacho Bebia, died on April 20 in Mykolaiv as a result of a building bombardment.
Bacho Bebia was an internally displaced person from Sukhumi and had lived in Odesa with his parents in recent years. He had obtained Ukrainian citizenship but had previously lived in Zugdidi for many years. At his family’s request, he will be buried in his native Zugdidi.
A relative reported that Bebia volunteered for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and subsequently attained the rank of senior officer. Recently, he had been operating drones during combat operations.
Media reports state that Bacho Bebia was awarded Ukrainian state honors, including the “Cross of the Brave” (Khrest khorobrykh) and the “Defender of the Motherland” medal (Medal “Zakhysnyku Vitchyzny”).
