Yuri Khatchaturov

Yuri Khachaturov (Յուրի Խաչատուրով; born 1 May 1952) is the current Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia.

Early life
Khachaturov was born in Tetritskaro, Georgian SSR on 1 May 1952. After graduating from the Secondary School Tetritskaro in 1969, he entered the Tbilisi Artillery Command of the Red Banner School, where he graduated from with honors in 1974. After graduation, Khachaturov was appointed commander of the platoon firing artillery regiment of infantry divisions of the Far Eastern Military District. He served as a battery commander, chief of staff, deputy commander of an artillery battalion commander of the anti-tank artillery battalion in the Far Eastern Military District from 1976 to 1982.

Soviet Army
From 1982 to 1985, he studied at the Kalinin Artillery Military Academy in Leningrad. Afterward he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Missile Forces and Artillery Tank Division of the Belarusian Military District. Khachaturov served as Chief of Staff of the Missile Forces and Artillery 5 Guards Motorized Rifle Division 40th Army in Afghanistan from 1987 to February 1989. For his service in the Soviet war in Afghanistan, he was honored with an Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR, two Soviet Orders of Red Star, and the Afghan Order of Star (2nd degree).

Armenian Army
After serving in Afghanistan, Khachaturov was appointed commander of a separate tank army artillery brigade of the Belarusian Military District in October 1989. After the Fall of the Soviet Union, a special decree of the Ministry of Defence of Belarus for Khachaturov's services had been seconded to the Ministry of Defence of Armenia and he was appointed commander of the Armenian 2nd infantry regiment in April 1992. He took part in the hostilities of the Nagorno-Karabakh War and was actively involved in the protection of the state border. In September 1992, Khachaturov became Chief of the Border Troops and the Deputy Commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia. He was one of the initiators of the formation of the Goris infantry regiment, Tavush Motorised Brigade, and the first and fourth army corps, units and formations. Khachaturov also held the post of commander of the operational areas and the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia.

In 1995, by decree of the President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Khachaturov awarded the rank of Major General. He was ranked Lieutenant General in 2000 and Colonel General 15 April 2008. On 21 March 2000, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Defence of Armenia. Khachaturov has been the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia as of 15 April 2008.

On 1 May 2012, the president of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Bako Sahakyan awarded Khachaturov the Mesrop Mashtots Medal.

Personal life
He is married and has three sons.

Awards

 * Armenia
 * 🇦🇲 Order of the Combat Cross
 * 🇦🇲 Order of Vardan Mamikonian
 * 🇦🇲 Mesrop Mashtots Medal
 * 🇦🇲 Order of Nerses the Gracious
 * 🇦🇲 Marshal Baghramyan Medal
 * 🇦🇲 Andranik Ozanian Medal
 * 🇦🇲 Medal "For Military Cooperation"
 * 🇦🇲 Medal " For Strengthening Community"
 * Hero of Artsakh
 * Order of the Combat Cross


 * Soviet Union
 * Order of the Red Star, twice
 * Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR, 3rd class
 * Medal "Veteran of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
 * Jubilee Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
 * Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
 * Medal "For Impeccable Service", 1st class
 * Medal "For Impeccable Service", 2nd class


 * Foreign
 * 🇷🇺 Medal of Zhukov