Ilia II, the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia, sent his condolences to the families and relatives of Georgian volunteers killed in combat action near the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut on Saturday.

“Your sadness, and that of ours, is great because of the death of five Georgians during the fierce battle near Bakhmut on December 3, who sacrificed their lives for the support of their kin”, - reads the letter of condolence.

Avto Rurua, Romeo Pirchakhia, Roland Kvaratskhelia, Badri Markelia and Merab Aladashvili became the latest casualties among Georgian volunteers in Ukraine.