Who is Yuri Khachaturov?

President Serzh Sargsyan has signed a decree on October 3 appointing Yuri Khachaturov to the post of Secretary of National Security Council, the Presidential Administration informed. The biography of Mr. Khachaturov is introduced below.

Colonel-General Yuri Khachaturov was born on May 1, 1952, in the city of Tetri-Tskaro, former Soviet Socialist Republic of Georgia.

Finishing the Tetri-Tskaro secondary school in 1969, he enrolled at Tbilisi Higher Artillery Command College of the Red Banner Order, graduating it with excellence in 1974. Upon graduation he was appointed as a Fire Platoon Leader, Artillery Regiment of Motorized Rifle Division, Far East Military District.

From 1976 to 1982 he held the posts of Battery Commander, Chief of Staff – Deputy Commander of the Artillery Battalion, Commander of Detached Anti-tank Artillery Battalion in the Far East Military District.

From August 1982 to June 1985 he studied at the Command Faculty of Leningrad Artillery Academy after M.I. Kalinin. Having successfully graduated from the Academy, Yuri Khachaturov was appointed as the Chief of Staff of Rocket Troops and Artillery of Tank Division, Belarus Military District.

From 1987 to February 1989 he served as Chief of Staff of Rocket Troops and Artillery of the 5th Motorized Rifle Guards Division of the 40th Army in Afghanistan.

In October 1989, completing service in Afghanistan, he was appointed the Commander of Detached Artillery Brigade of the Tank Army in the Belarus Military District.

In April 1992 by the order of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Belarus he transferred under the command of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Armenia and was appointed the Commander of the 2nd Motorized Rifle Regiment.

Yuri Khachaturov has had active participation in the defence of the state border of the Republic of Armenia and in hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh.

In September 1992 he was appointed the Head of Border Guard Troops – Deputy Commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia.

He has personally participated in the formation and establishment of the Motorized Rifle Regiment of Goris, Motorized Rifle Brigade of Tavush, 1st and 4th Army Corpses, commanding the abovementioned units, formations and groupings for many years.

General Khachaturov has also held the posts of Operative Direction Commander and Deputy Chief of the General Staff of Armenian Armed Forces. On March 21, 2000, by order of the President of the Republic of Armenia he was appointed ARM Deputy Minister of Defence.

On April 15, 2008, by order of the President of Armenia he was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces – First Deputy Minister of Defense.

By orders of the President of the Republic of Armenia, he has been conferred with military ranks of Major General in 1995, Lieutenant General in 2000 and Colonel General on April 15, 2008.

During the service in Afghanistan Yuri Khachaturov was decorated with 2 orders of “Red Star”, the order “For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of USSR” and with an Afghan order of “Star” of 2nd degree.

For active participation in military operations, successful management of military units, formations and groupings, for personal contribution in the formation of military structures of the Republic of Armenia he has been awarded with the Orders of “Battle Cross” of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Order of “Vardan Mamikonyan”, “Medal of Merit For the Motherland”, Medals “For Blameless Service” of 1st and 2nd degrees by the Ministry of Defence, as well as with Medals of “Marshal Baghramyan” and “Andranik Ozanyan.”

He has also been awarded with a Commemoration Medal by the ARM Prime Minister, with “Medals of Brotherhood in Arms” by the ARM National Security Service, Medal “For Strengthening of Cooperation” by the ARM Police, has multiple times been awarded with Nominal Weapons by order of the ARM Minister of Defence.

He has also been awarded with the Honorary Order of the Armenian Apostolic Church “St. Nerses Shnorhali” by the Catholicos of all Armenians.

Married and has three sons.