Chief of Batumi-Based Military Unit Mutinies

Maj. Gen. Roman Dumbadze, who was dismissed as a commander of the 25th Armored-Mechanized Brigade, deployed in Adjarian capital Batumi, has officially announced his insubordination to the Defense Ministry orders. Maj.Gen. Dumbadze says “the 25th brigade is subordinated only to the [Adjarian leader] Aslan Abashidze.”

“I serve the Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze and my dismissal is only up to him. 25th Brigade answers to Aslan Abashidze, who is our supreme commander,” Roman Dumbadze told a press conference in Batumi on April 19. 

Georgian Defense Ministry has claimed earlier that the 25th Brigade is under the central authorities’ control. The Ministry refused to comment Maj. Gen. Dumbadze’s statement.

“The Defense Ministry will make an official statement later,” Irakli Chikovani, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry told Civil Georgia.

Gen. Dumbadze was relieved of his command on 3 April by the direct orders of Defense Minister Gela Bezhuashvili. He was accused of insubordination during a standoff between Tbilisi and Batumi in March, a claim that was confirmed by the internal investigation of the Ministry of Defense. Later on, President Saakashvili used his authority as supreme commander of the armed forces to dismiss Gen. Dumbadze from the military service.

Servicemen of the 25th Brigade were expected to participate in the military exercises in the Black Sea town of Poti, near the Adjarian Autonomy, however the exercises were postponed for late April for unspecified reasons. According to the unofficial reports problems persisting regarding the 25th brigade were the main reason for postponing the exercises.