კახა თილიძის (თუში) სახელობის ტურნირი ფეხბურთში 2026

The tournament is being held in honor of Georgian fighter Kakha Tilidze, who lived in the United States and was killed in the battle against Russia in Ukraine. Kakha was deeply respected and loved within the Georgian diaspora in America. His loss is a profound tragedy for thousands of Georgian emigrants living abroad. Through this tournament, we aim to contribute to preserving his legacy - both within the Georgian diaspora in the United States, as well as in Georgia and Ukraine. 

Kakha Tilidze was born on January 12, 1985, in Tbilisi. At the age of 21, he became a member of the Georgian State Security Service. From 2005 to 2013, he served in the Presidential Security Service of Georgia — first as an officer, and later as a Senior Security Officer (Supervisor). In 2013, he was forced to leave Georgia and moved to the United States, where he was granted political asylum.

During his time in the United States, Kakha Tilidze worked with U.S. government contractor companies, including Threat Tec and Advancia Technology.

In 2014, following the first wave of Russian aggression in Ukraine, Kakha voluntarily joined the front line as part of the first international unit, “Azov.”

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he chose to leave behind a comfortable life in the United States and return to the battlefield. Between 2022 and 2025, he traveled to Ukraine six times to battle. He served as Deputy Commander of the special operations unit “Solidarity,” within the structure of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence.

On January 11, 2025, near Zaporizhzhia, he refused to leave behind a wounded comrade during an evacuation mission. The evacuation vehicle was struck by a Russian kamikaze drone, and Kakha Tilidze was killed on the spot. The following day, January 12, would have been his 40th birthday. He was laid to rest with full military honors in Tbilisi, at Saburtalo Cemetery.

Kakha Tilidze was awarded some of the highest military honors of Georgia and Ukraine. During his lifetime, he received the Order of Vakhtang Gorgasali (3rd Class) and the ecclesiastical medal “Coat of Arms of Freedom” (December 27, 2024). Posthumously, he was awarded the “Star of Brilliance.”