Joni Pirtskhalaishvili ( ka, ჯონი ფირცხალაიშვილი) (born 22 May 1947) is a retired Georgian

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

(1999). He was the country's Minister of Defense from 15 September 1991 to 2 January 1992 and the

Chief of General Staff of Georgian Armed Forces The Chief of General Staff of Georgian Defence Forces ( ka, საქართველოს თავდაცვის ძალების გენერალური შტაბის უფროსი, tr) is a high-ranking officer in ...

from May 1998 to September 2003.

Biography

Born in

Lanchkhuti Lanchkhuti () is a city in the Georgian region of Guria. It has a population of about 6,395. Lanchkhuti received city status in 1961. Under the USSR, it was the centre of the Georgian SSR Lanchkhuti area and today continues to serve as the capita ...

and a graduate of the

Frunze Military Academy The M. V. Frunze Military Academy (), or in full the Military Order of Lenin and the October Revolution, Red Banner, Order of Suvorov Academy in the name of M. V. Frunze (), was a military academy of the Soviet and later the Russian Armed Forces ...

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

, Pirtskhalaishvili commanded a Soviet motor-rifle division in

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

before returning to Georgia. He briefly served as the country's Defense Minister in the government of President

Zviad Gamsakhurdia Zviad Konstantines dze Gamsakhurdia ( ka, ზვიად კონსტანტინეს ძე გამსახურდია; ; 31 March 1939 – 31 December 1993) was a Georgian politician, human rights activist, dissident, profes ...

from September 1991 to January 1992, when Gamsakhurdia was declared deposed in a military coup. During the rule of

Eduard Shevardnadze Eduard Ambrosis dze Shevardnadze ( ka, ედუარდ ამბროსის ძე შევარდნაძე; 25 January 1928 – 7 July 2014) was a Soviet and Georgian politician and diplomat who governed Georgia (country), Georgi ...

, Pirtskhalaishvili became Deputy Defense Minister under

Vardiko Nadibaidze Varden “Vardiko” Nadibaidze ( ka, ვარდენ ��არდიკონადიბაიძე; ) (born March 31, 1939) is a retired Soviet Union, Soviet, Russian and Georgians, Georgian military officer who served as Georgia (country ...

, but ultimately resigned because of differences with Nadibaidze over military reforms. After the dismissal of Nadibaidze in 1998, Major-General Pirtskhalaishvili was appointed Chief of the General Staff and promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. During his tenure, the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

launched the GTEP training program for the Georgian troops and Georgia deployed its contingent in

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

. During the disputed

parliamentary election A general election is an electoral process to choose most or all members of a governing body at the same time. They are distinct from by-elections, which fill individual seats that have become vacant between general elections. General elections ...

in November 2003, eventually annulled by the

Rose Revolution The Rose Revolution or Revolution of Roses ( ka, ვარდების რევოლუცია, tr) was a nonviolent change of power that occurred in Georgia in November 2003. The event was brought about by widespread protests over the ...

later that month, Pirtskhalaishvili ran, unsuccessfully, in the Lanchkhuti constituency on a ticket of pro-Shevardnadze election bloc For New Georgia.

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Pirtskhalaishvili, Joni 1947 births Living people Ministers of defence of Georgia Soviet Georgian generals Generals of the Defense Forces of Georgia Government ministers of Georgia (country) Frunze Military Academy alumni Soviet major generals