This war did not start on 1st, 7th

or 8th of August, nor was it over on August 12th, 15th or 22nd.

What we call ‘the August war’ is just a chapter of a bigger struggle in a chain of events - the first full-scale, conventional war in Europe since the end of the Cold War, the 5-day war of a country the size of 1/5 of a continent with a small one.

This is our attempt to put this little war on a large map; To arrange, in time and space, all the main reports, the video-, audio- and printed documents available a decade later. We have presented the chronology of the 15 days of August 2008 – arranged for you to see, hear, read, recall, reflect, feel and re-visit your memory.

However, like we said, this war did not start in August 2008...

Just a few events: In 2006 Russia builds a military base Java (territory of South Ossetia, Georgia), Russian spy network is uncovered in Tbilisi and Batumi, Georgia; Russia imposes full economic embargo on Georgia. In April 2008 Russian President orders the Russian Government to establish direct relations with de facto governments in Sukhumi and Tskinvali. Sukhumi-Ochamchire railway is restored; On July 15, full-scale military exercises “Caucasus 2008”, with participation of air, naval, internal and security forces, deploying 8000 personnel and 700 units of armoured vehicles starts. The exercises went on until August 2nd. The invasion of Georgia was next