A civil memorial service was held in the Kashvetsky church and the Tbilisi Concert Hall. Letters of condolence from President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia were read at the funeral.
The ceremony was attended by delegations from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Israel, the TV company reported. “Mtavari Alcohol”.
Zelensky’s address was read out by Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko, who was present at the funeral.
Zelensky’s letter says that the name of Kikabidze will be inscribed in the history of Ukraine as the name of a great Georgian who contributed to the defense of Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty. Letter quotes “Georgia Online”.
“To the relatives, relatives and fans of Vakhtang Kikabidze: in a moment of grief, I ask you to accept my sincere condolences on the death of Vakhtang Kikabidze. A great artist and a great person, a friend of Ukraine who has always been with Ukraine. A legend who was an example for everyone,” it was said in circulation.
Zelensky noted that Ukrainians thank Kikabidze for their support in the fight against the Russian aggressor.
“As a token of sorrow, together with all his fans, I bow to a man with a soul of unique beauty and outstanding talent. The bright memory of Vakhtang Kikabidze will forever remain in the hearts of Ukrainians,” the letter says.
Kikabidze passed away January 15 2023, lived 84 years.
Zelensky expressed condolences to the family and countrymen of Kikabidze, calling him “a friend who was always there”. “A great man of a great people. A legend that we all looked up to. Blessed memory to the artist and condolences to his loved ones,” he wrote on Facebook. Zelensky attached a photo to the post taken on August 24, 2021 in Kyiv, when he was during the parade on the Independence Day of Ukraine handed over to Kikabidze order named after Yaroslav the Wise V degrees.
Since 2014, after the start of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, Kikabidze refused to perform in occupied Donetskand when the Russian Federation launched a full-scale invasion, spoke in support of Ukraine, condemned Russian aggressionalso he supported the Ukrainian military.
To Russia Kikabidze refused to ride back in 2008when the Russian Federation attacked Georgia.
