2009 Georgian mutiny

2009 Georgian Mutiny
Date5 May 2009
Location
Georgia (country) Georgia
Status Mutineers surrender[1]
Belligerents
Georgian Army
Georgian Police		 Mutineers from the Mukhrovani Separate Tank Battalion
Commanders and leaders
President Mikheil Saakashvili
Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili
Defense Minister Vasil Sikharulidze		 Lt. Colonel Mamuka Gorgiashvili[2]
Strength
(?) ~500(?)

The 2009 Georgian mutiny was a mutiny by a Georgian Army tank battalion based in Mukhrovani, 30 kilometres (19 mi) east of the capital Tbilisi on 5 May 2009. It is not yet known how many soldiers took part.[3][4][5] Later that day, the Georgian Ministry of Interior announced that the mutineers had surrendered. Some of its leaders, including the battalion's commander, were arrested; others managed to escape.[3] The mutiny broke out after the government announced that it had uncovered what it claimed was a Russian-backed plot to destabilize Georgia and assassinate President Mikheil Saakashvili.[3] Later, Georgian authorities retracted their accusations of an assassination plot and allegations of Russian support.[6][7]

  1. ^ Kask, Kalev; Erik Rand (2009-05-05), Gruusia sõdurid hakkasid võimude vastu mässama (in Estonian), epl.ee, archived from the original on 7 May 2009, retrieved 2009-05-05
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Civil was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Georgian troop rebellion 'over'. BBC News. May 5, 2009
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference cnn_1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ MoD Says Military Unit Mutinies, civil.ge, 2009-05-05, retrieved 2009-05-05
  6. ^ Georgia Says It Halts Army Mutiny To Disrupt NATO, National Public Radio (USA), 2009-05-06, archived from the original on 10 May 2009, retrieved 2009-05-06
  7. ^ Georgia puts down mutiny attempt at military base, Japan Today (Japan), 2009-05-06, retrieved 2009-05-06