On April 9, Irakli Kobakhidze, the Prime Minister of Georgia, described the 2008 war in South Ossetia as the greatest crime committed by former President Mikheil Saakashvili, who has been convicted in multiple criminal cases, though not for war-related offenses.

Kobakhidze recalled the events of August 7–8, 2008, claiming that the Georgian leadership at the time launched an offensive, not a defensive operation, celebrating the de-occupation of villages, the entry into Tskhinvali, and the advance toward the Roki Tunnel. He emphasized that it was an attack, not a response. He also noted that Saakashvili later signed a Council of Europe resolution acknowledging that his administration initiated the full-scale hostilities, which subsequently triggered a Russian military response.

The Prime Minister labeled the 2008 conflict as Saakashvili’s greatest crime "against his own country and people," warning that failing to properly assess such actions could pose future risks. Kobakhidze further alleged that over the past three years, the same political forces responsible for the 2008 war have sought to provoke a second front against Russia in Georgia.