National Guard of Georgia
Encyclopedia
The National Guard of Georgia (NG) 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. The GNG is also responsible for the mobilization of reservists
.
ordered the creation of Georgian Armed Forces and held the first military parade on Boris Paichadze Stadium
. Tengiz Kitovani
was appointed as the head of GNG.
GNG was mainly manned by volunteers and more experienced Georgian officers who were serving in Soviet Army
at the time and returned to Georgia to serve in newly created Georgian Army. Thus, it became the first national military formation in then-Soviet Georgia which would later provide the basis for the regular armed forces.
Almost from its birth, the National Guard became directly involved in Georgian politics. In August 1991, soon after its foundation, GNG was split between supporters of Gamsakhurdia and Kitovani. Split happened after Kitovani announced that the president was about to dissolve Georgian Army. Kitovani and his supporters left the barracks and stationed near Tbilisi. They joined Prime Minister Tengiz Sigua
and the paramilitary leader Jaba Ioseliani
during Georgian Civil War
which begun in December 1991. Remaining parts of the GNG retained their loyalty towards Gamsakhurdia.
Units of the National Guard were a major paramilitary force to have fought in the Georgian Civil War
, South Ossetian
and Abkhazian
conflicts in the early 1990s.
According to US EUCOM
recommendations new role and functions were determined to the National Guard and structural changes were done. Since 2000s GNG doesn’t include military units any more and is rather focused on reserve system and support of the civil government during crisis.
The main missions of National Guard are:
The National Guard of Georgia currently consists of 554 personnel and is commanded by Major Rati Tsakadze.
Ministry of Defense (Georgia)
The Ministry of Defense of Georgia is the Georgian government ministry, in charge of Georgian Armed Forces and regulating activities in defense of the country from external threats, preserving territorial integrity and waging wars on behalf of Georgia...
. It is tasked with responding to external threats, civil disturbances, and natural disasters. The GNG is also responsible for the mobilization of reservists
Military reserve force
A military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career. They are not normally kept under arms and their main role is to be available to fight when a nation mobilizes for total war or to defend against invasion...
.
History
The GNG was established on December 20, 1990 after President Zviad GamsakhurdiaZviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era...
ordered the creation of Georgian Armed Forces and held the first military parade on Boris Paichadze Stadium
Boris Paichadze Stadium
The Boris Paichadze National Stadium , also known as the Dinamo Stadium, is a football stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia. It is the home stadium of FC Dinamo Tbilisi. The stadium was built in 1976 by Georgian architect Gia Kurdiani. Before then Dinamo's stadium was a smaller ground with a maximum...
. Tengiz Kitovani
Tengiz Kitovani
Tengiz Kitovani is a retired Georgian politician and military commander with high-profile involvement in the Georgian Civil War early in the 1990s when he commanded the National Guard of Georgia and served as a Defense Minister until being gradually sidelined by Eduard Shevardnadze who had...
was appointed as the head of GNG.
GNG was mainly manned by volunteers and more experienced Georgian officers who were serving in Soviet Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
at the time and returned to Georgia to serve in newly created Georgian Army. Thus, it became the first national military formation in then-Soviet Georgia which would later provide the basis for the regular armed forces.
Almost from its birth, the National Guard became directly involved in Georgian politics. In August 1991, soon after its foundation, GNG was split between supporters of Gamsakhurdia and Kitovani. Split happened after Kitovani announced that the president was about to dissolve Georgian Army. Kitovani and his supporters left the barracks and stationed near Tbilisi. They joined Prime Minister Tengiz Sigua
Tengiz Sigua
Tengiz Sigua is a Georgian politician and former Prime Minister of the country.Sigua was an engineer by profession and entered politics on the eve of the Soviet Union’s collapse. In 1990, he headed the Rustaveli Society of All Georgia and led an expert group of the bloc “Round Table-Free Georgia”...
and the paramilitary leader Jaba Ioseliani
Jaba Ioseliani
Jaba Ioseliani was a Georgian politician, bank robber and leader of the paramilitary Mkhedrioni organisation....
during Georgian Civil War
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...
which begun in December 1991. Remaining parts of the GNG retained their loyalty towards Gamsakhurdia.
Units of the National Guard were a major paramilitary force to have fought in the Georgian Civil War
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...
, South Ossetian
Georgian-Ossetian conflict
The Georgian–Ossetian conflict refers to the ethno-political conflict in Georgia's autonomous region of South Ossetia, which evolved in 1989 and developed into a 1991–1992 South Ossetia War. Despite a declared ceasefire and numerous peace efforts, the conflict remains unresolved, and minor armed...
and Abkhazian
Georgian-Abkhaz conflict
The Georgian–Abkhazian conflict refers to the ethnic conflict between Georgians and Abkhazians in Abkhazia, which is presently a de facto independent partially recognized republic...
conflicts in the early 1990s.
Current status
United States European Command
The United States European Command is one of ten Unified Combatant Commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russia, Iceland, Greenland, and Israel...
recommendations new role and functions were determined to the National Guard and structural changes were done. Since 2000s GNG doesn’t include military units any more and is rather focused on reserve system and support of the civil government during crisis.
The main missions of National Guard are:
- Support civil government in crisis situations (natural, technological, ecological);
- Register mobilization recourses, study and deliver;
- Convene, select and man of citizens on the basis of the agreement, for the units, subunits and bases of the Armed Forces;
- Provide ceremony activities.
The National Guard of Georgia currently consists of 554 personnel and is commanded by Major Rati Tsakadze.