The President of Georgia visited a SWAT team member Zurab Zurabishvili, who was wounded during a special operation in Lapankuri, at the Gudushauri Clinic, and expressed interest in his condition. Mikheil Saakashvili thanked him for his devotion and noted that Georgia stands on such heroes.

“We have survived. A grenade exploded, and everybody thought Zura’s leg was torn off. We were all afraid that he was going to lose too much blood, and he was carried here by hand. The gorge is very narrow and helicopters had a hard time entering it. You came out of Tskhinvali unharmed, and I am glad that you survived this one too. The most important thing is for him to stand up and walk soon. You are still looking good considering the fact that you’ve had such tough surgeries. Zura has received two medals for knightly bravery. These are the kind of guys Georgia stands on” – noted Mikheil Saakashvili while talking to him.

Mikheil Saakashvili later made a comment and congratulated his family and relatives on his survival.

“I am glad that Zurab Zurabishvili survived. It is true that he got us worried, but the operation was very tough. People brought him by hand for several hours, when he was wounded under fire, but he survived anyway. He was in the most distant part of the gorge when the grenade blew up. Several more persons were wounded, which were working on this. Doctor Lado Khvedelidze, who was running there to save the wounded, unfortunately lost his life. We saw real examples of bravery in the last few days. A doctor, which saved a patient, lost his life. We do not leave our fighters anywhere even in the harshest combat situations. This is our most important principle. The most important thing was to bring him here in time so he wouldn’t lose too much blood. These are the people who replaced our hostages – these are the border patrol and police officers, who replaced the local guys, risking their own lives. However, the people who can be considered unworthy of answering think that everything is theater and it is impossible for a person to sacrifice his life for his country and be a real hero. Fortunately, most people in Georgia are such heroes. That is why our nation has survived. This is why it was always saved and it will win. I am absolutely sure of this” – noted the Head of State.

An officer of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, 36 year old Zurab Zurabishvili participated in the 2008 August war, and he has received a state decoration – the Medal for “Knightly Bravery” twice during his service.