Koba Kobaladze
Encyclopedia
Koba Kobaladze (born July 7, 1969) is a retired major-general of the Georgian
army who served on top military posts early in the 2000s. On May 5, 2009, he was arrested by the Georgian Police on charges of plotting an army mutiny.
, then-Soviet Georgia, Kobaladze served in the Soviet military from 1987 to 1989. In 1991 he volunteered in the National Guard of Georgia
, with which he took part in the conflicts
in post-Soviet Georgia. Kobaladze took an active part in the War in Abkhazia
and was one of the senior commanders. During one of the battles he was severely wounded near Gagra
. Kobaladze received nine bullets in the chest and survived but never managed to fully recover.
Kobaladze graduated from the Ryazan
Higher Airborne College in 1996 and Frunze Military Academy (Russia
) in 1999. In 2000, Colonel Kobaladze was appointed commander of land forces of the Georgian Ministry of Defense. He was retrained at NATO centers in the United States
, Germany
, and Turkey
from 2001 to 2003. In 2001, he was made a commander of the National Guard of Georgia, a post he resigned in 2004. In 2009, he was among the founders of the NGO Generals' Club.
Kobaladze is the only Georgian to be awarded with all three ranks of Vakhtang Gorgasali Order.
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
army who served on top military posts early in the 2000s. On May 5, 2009, he was arrested by the Georgian Police on charges of plotting an army mutiny.
Military career
Born in TbilisiTbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, then-Soviet Georgia, Kobaladze served in the Soviet military from 1987 to 1989. In 1991 he volunteered in the National Guard of Georgia
National Guard of Georgia
The National Guard of Georgia is a military structure within the Georgian Armed Forces and has a department status within the Ministry of Defense. It is tasked with responding to external threats, civil disturbances, and natural disasters...
, with which he took part in the conflicts
Georgian Civil War
The Georgian Civil War consisted of inter-ethnic and intranational conflicts in the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia , as well as the violent military coup d'etat of December 21, 1991 - January 6, 1992 against the first democratically elected President of Georgia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia and his...
in post-Soviet Georgia. Kobaladze took an active part in the War in Abkhazia
War in Abkhazia (1992–1993)
The War in Abkhazia from 1992 to 1993 was waged chiefly between Georgian government forces on one side and Abkhaz separatist forces supporting independence of Abkhazia from Georgia on the other side. Ethnic Georgians, who lived in Abkhazia fought largely on the side of Georgian government forces...
and was one of the senior commanders. During one of the battles he was severely wounded near Gagra
Battle of Gagra
The Battle of Gagra was fought between Georgian forces and the Abkhaz secessionists aided by the Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus militants from October 1 to October 6, 1992 during the War in Abkhazia...
. Kobaladze received nine bullets in the chest and survived but never managed to fully recover.
Kobaladze graduated from the Ryazan
Ryazan
Ryazan is a city and the administrative center of Ryazan Oblast, Russia. It is located on the Oka River southeast of Moscow. Population: The strategic bomber base Dyagilevo is just west of the city, and the air base of Alexandrovo is to the southeast as is the Ryazan Turlatovo Airport...
Higher Airborne College in 1996 and Frunze Military Academy (Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
) in 1999. In 2000, Colonel Kobaladze was appointed commander of land forces of the Georgian Ministry of Defense. He was retrained at NATO centers in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
from 2001 to 2003. In 2001, he was made a commander of the National Guard of Georgia, a post he resigned in 2004. In 2009, he was among the founders of the NGO Generals' Club.
Arrest and trial
In May 2009, Kobaladze was arrested on charges of plotting the abortive mutiny in a Georgian tank battalion, which – the authorities suggested – was part of a Russian-backed coup plot. He was acquitted of this charge on 11 January 2010. The judge found Kobaladze guilty of illegally keeping a firearm and hand-grenades and sentenced him of eight months in prison. But as Kobaladze had already spent eight months in detention, he was immediately released from the courtroom.Kobaladze is the only Georgian to be awarded with all three ranks of Vakhtang Gorgasali Order.