Since the spring of 1921 Cholokashvili organized strong militia in Kakheti and Khevsureti from experienced Georgian army personnel and noblemen including M. Lashkarashvili, Simon Bagration-Mukhraneli, L. Lekvinadze, S. Andronikashvili, A. Sumbatashvili, Sh.

The militia had a close contact to Catholicos-Patriarch Ambrose and enjoyed the support of the mountainous clans of eastern Georgia.

Notably, the Bolsheviks used vast inexperienced military resources, including combat aviation, against the militiamen and had heavy casualties whereas the casualties of Cholokashvili's force was zero in some cases[1] The rebellion was weakened from disagreement within different political parties of Georgia.

On the other hand, the Bolsheviks arrested and executed supporters of militia in Kartli and Kakheti and moved more army divisions from Grozny.

Combination of hostility of Cheka towards the population of Georgia and disagreement between different political parties forced Cholokashvili to escape to the neighboring Chechnya, whence he made several inroads into Georgia, preventing the Bolsheviks from gaining a foothold in the eastern Georgian mountains before joining the major revolt against the Soviets in August 1924.