 Adamia organized a large volunteer detachment of the citizens of Sukhumi and was actively involved in the defence of the city against the combined Abkhaz-North Caucasian forces aided by the Russian navy and aviation.He was soon promoted to Major General and appointed the commander of the 23rd Mechanized Brigade of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia.One of the most energetic and popular Georgian commanders, he refused to surrender when Sukhumi fell on 27 September 1993.