Tengiz Kitovani
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tengiz Kitovani (b. June 9, 1939) is a former military leader and politician in Georgia.
An artist by profession, Kitovani joined Georgian national movement in early 1990s. He was member of the Supreme Council of Georgia in 1990-1991. He commanded the Georgian National Guards in 1990-1991.
When President Zviad Gamsakhurdia removed him from his post of commander in August 1991, Kitovani joined the opposition and was one of the military leaders of violent coup in December 1991-January 1992. After Gamsakhurdia’s ouster, Kitovani became a member of Military Council and Defence Minister in the interim government and invited Eduard Shevardnadze to lead the country in March 1992. Kitovani led Georgian forces against the secessionist region of Abkhazia in 1992-1993. However, Eduard Shevardnadze forced Kitovani to resign in May 1993 and the latter organized an oppositional National-Liberation Front together with former Prime Minister Tengiz Sigua. In January 1995, Kitovani led an attempted march of armed Georgian refugees on Abkhazia to retake the breakaway region. The government forces disarmed the force and arrested Kitovani for having organized an unlawful armed force. He was pardoned by Shevardnadze on medical grounds in May 1999.
Kitovani has been sheltered by the Russian authorities and now lives in Moscow. Allegedly, he has been working on russian intelligence agencies for years including Georgian-Abkhaz Military conflict.
