The coup d'état, which only inaugurated a bloody civil war that lasted until 1994, is largely seen as an example of Russian military exploitation of legitimate pro-democratic protests in its former sphere of influence. This fact is mainly represented by the probable intervention of the Red Army in favor of opposition factions, while providing weapons to both sides of the war. Following Gamsakhurdia's fall, a Military Council, led by Kitovani and Ioseliani, took power in Tbilisi and assured the return of Eduard Shevardnadze, the last Soviet Foreign Affairs Minister to hand over power to him.