Parliament`s Temporary Investigative Commission examining alleged crimes committed by the former United National Movement government between in 2003 - 2012 reviewed the situation in Georgia`s Russian-occupied territories in 2004 - 2008 and the 2008 August war.

Lasha Koiava, Head of the Medical Department of the Ground Forces under the former UNM Government, said at the session that "a significant delay in the deployment of Georgian troops at the start of the August 2008 war resulted in a huge tragedy".

"All units were supposed to begin their movements at 7 am on August 8, but the operation had not begun even by midday. The delay, of course, caused a huge tragedy. By 7 am on [August 8], the movement of all units should have already begun. It was past noon, and combat operations had not yet started", - said Lasha Koiava.

He further claimed that journalists arrived and "allowed" them to begin combat operations.