Social media users considered the ECHR's decision on the death of Georgian prisoners to be belated.

Eighteen years have passed since the Five-Day War, and when the ECHR ruled that Russia was responsible for the death and torture of Georgian prisoners, Moscow had already refused to recognize and implement the court's decisions, social media users pointed out.

As "Caucasian Knot" reported, the European Court of Human Rights unanimously found Russia responsible for the murder of three and the torture of eight Georgian prisoners of war captured during the August 2008 war. The court ordered Moscow to pay compensation to surviving service members and the families of the deceased.

As of 2:39 p.m. Moscow time, more than two thousand comments had been left under the Caucasian Knot's Facebook post—1,751 under one post about the ECHR ruling on Russia's responsibility for the deaths of Russian service members, and 558 under another.

The discussion focused on the assessment of the events of the 2008 armed conflict, the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights, and the responsibility of the parties. The comments present a variety of, often opposing, viewpoints, including assessments of the actions of Russia, Georgia, South Ossetia, international institutions, and political figures.

Users considered the ECHR ruling useless

A significant portion of users perceived the court's decision as confirmation of their position, but many noted that it came too late.

"While Russia was a member of that European Council, nothing was done, 18 years have passed," noted Zura Kiphidze.

"It's very strange that the European Court somehow remembered this 18 years later," wrote Anna Liza.

"Why did it take so many years to acknowledge this?" - asked Nino Melkadze.

The comments also discuss the adequacy of compensation and the practical significance of the court's decision.

"What's the point of this verdict?" - asked Irakli Sharangia.

"Nobody will pay anything," opined Waldemar Podhorecki.

"Besides compensation, there will be real prison terms, up to and including life imprisonment," said Maria Axnazarova.

"A fair decision, and those responsible will be punished," said Nikolai Galitsyn.

The causes of the conflict have become a subject of dispute.

"Shame on the European courts. "They should have condemned all of Georgia," said Aida Kiut.

"Let the European Court condemn its own terrorists first," wrote Elvira Yunusova.

"Your Saakashvili... started the war. Our former president is responsible for this," opined Anna Liza.

"Your Saakashvili rallied young men. Georgia attacked Tskhinvali. What does Russia have to do with it?" - says Nina Papieva.

The role of the West was also discussed separately.

"Europe and America are deliberately pitting countries against each other," said Anna Liza.

"The West has repeatedly shown its face and its double standards," noted Gia Shengelia.

Others have entered into a dispute over territorial ownership.

"This is Georgian land, and Georgia will soon regain all its lost territories," wrote Giga Kikvadze.

"Abkhazia is Georgia!! Ossetia is Georgia!" - wrote Patti Mais.

"South Ossetia does not exist," says Mamulashvili Zaza.

Many comments are dedicated to the memory of the fallen and calls for preserving their memory.

"Eternal glory and memory to their immortal names," wrote Bidzina Dumbadze.

"Our boy heroes," wrote Manana Nadiradze.

The discussion ended with calls for peaceful coexistence

Some commentators called for a peaceful discussion.

"We shouldn't incite hatred towards each other; it won't bring anything good," wrote Alla Bartaia.

"I respect the Georgian people and hope that all conflicts are in the past," stated Vladimir Shubin.

18 Years Later, the Five-Day War Remains the Subject of Conflict and Litigation

Eighteen years later, the Five-Day War remains an example of litigation not only in the ECHR. For example, last July, a parliamentary commission was working in Georgia to investigate the activities of Georgia's third president, Mikheil Saakashvili, including his role in starting the war. Opposition members' failure to attend hearings resulted in prison sentences for several of them.

Years later, tensions persist between Georgia and South Ossetia and Abkhazia. In Abkhazia, an apology from a Russian tourist who wore a Panama hat with a Georgian flag was widely circulated. In North Ossetia, an apology was issued for the use of Georgian flags at a wedding, including on a car with South Ossetian license plates.

Tensions also persist along the dividing line between Georgia and its breakaway territories. Both sides periodically report detentions of people who crossed the line of contact, some of whom face espionage charges.