24 years have passed since the fall of Sokhumi. Politicians and relatives of the victims are gathering near the Memorial of Heroes since the morning.

The Vice PM, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister of Culture commemorated the victims. They laid a wreath at the memorial.
Representatives of the Abkhazian government are also in the Heroes" Square.

Before the decisive battle for Sukhumi on July 27, an agreement was reached in Sochi on a ceasefire and withdrawal of military equipment from the conflict zone, but on September 16 the Abkhaz side violated the treaty.
On July 27 the Russian invaders and Abkhaz separatists shot the chairman of the Supreme Council of Abkhazia Zhiuli Shartava, members of the government-Guram Gabiskiria and 27 employees of the Council of Ministers,

The defeat of the Georgian armed forces was followed by ethnic cleansing of the Georgian population. Nearly 14 thousand were killed. 300 thousand people became refugees.