After the Bolshevik occupation of Georgia and integration into the Soviet Union in 1921, Ilia became for Georgian nationalists the symbol of Georgian freedom and national liberation.

The police reports indicate this group of wealthy Russian exiles and Georgian nationalists became involved in a number of secret plots.

The demonstrations in Georgia began five days ago at the start of a hunger strike by more than 100 Georgian nationalists seeking more independence, and seemed to gather momentum as the week went on.

Col. Gen. Igor N. Rodionov, the regional military commander, fiercely defended the action of the troops and said the events had been distorted by the Soviet press and Georgian nationalists.

Former Soviet foreign minister and architect of the disintegration of the USSR Eduard Shevardnadze replaced Gamsakhurdia as president, inheriting a government dominated by hard-line Georgian nationalists.

When repression does turn violent, as in the gassing of Georgian nationalists in Tbilisi, it is disavowed by Moscow.

Mr. Gamsakhurdia asserts that they are recent arrivals who unjustly won political autonomy in reward for helping Bolsheviks hunt down Georgian nationalists in the early 1920's.

The situation was exacerbated by the reported withdrawal of Russian (formerly Soviet) Interior Ministry forces, seen as protection against Georgian nationalists.

Furthermore, he insisted on close cooperation between the Russian and Georgian socialists against the Bolsheviks, but did not agree with any cooperation with the Georgian nationalists.

The so-called second generation (meore dasi) of Georgian nationalists was less conservative than Chavchavadze.