After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Nadibaidze continued his service in the Russian Army and, in 1992, was made the deputy commander of the Transcaucasian Military District headquartered in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi.

Nadibaidze dismissed nationalistically minded officers and introduced ethnic Georgians from the Russian army and with Soviet military experience.

[3] Nadibaidze supported close cooperation with Russia and was a personal friend of the Russian defense minister Pavel Grachev.

[4] Nadibaidze was a target of criticism from the opposition, most prominently by Giorgi Chanturia, and some government officials, such as Vice-Premier Tamaz Nadareishvili, who accused him of mismanaging the military.

[2] After his dismissal from office, Vardiko Nadibaidze finally withdrew from political life and began to lead a somewhat secluded lifestyle in his own house in Tbilisi.