Artak Matevosi Davtyan (
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...
: Արտակ Մաթևոսի Դավթյան; born March 31, 1970) is an Armenian Lieutenant General who served as the
Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces from May 2018 to June 2020 and again from March 2021 to February 2022.
Early life and military service
Artak Davtyan was born in 1970 in the village of
Bambakashat, in the Hoktemberyan region (now located in
Armavir province
Armavir (, ), is a administrative divisions of Armenia, province (''marz'') in the western part of Armenia. Located in the Ararat plain dominated by Mount Ararat from the south and Mount Aragats from the north, the province's capital is the tow ...
) of the
Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic
The Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic (ArSSR), also known as Soviet Armenia, or simply Armenia, was one of the Republics of the Soviet Union, constituent republics of the Soviet Union, located in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Soviet Armenia ...
. He took part in the
First Nagorno-Karabakh War
The First Nagorno-Karabakh War was an ethnic conflict, ethnic and territorial conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nag ...
from 1988 to 1992, quickly rising through the ranks of the newly formed
Armenian Army
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia (, abbreviated ՀՀ ԶՈՒ, ''HH ZU''), sometimes referred to as the Armenian Army (), is the national military of Armenia. It consists of personnel branches under the General Staff of the Armenian Arm ...
. Starting in 1992, Davtyan began to serve as either the commander or deputy commander of various military units. During that same time, he was also enrolled in military academies in
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
.
In 2006, Davtyan began to work at the departments of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces. On January 31, 2009, he was appointed head of the operative department and was relieved of his duties as Deputy Chief of the General Staff, a position he served in since 2007. On 29 September 2017, Davtyan was appointed commander of the
5th Army Corps of the Armenian Defense Ministry based in the
Nubarashen District.
He served in the position of 5th Army Corps commander until he was recommended to the post of Chief of Staff by recently elected Prime Minister
Nikol Pashinyan
Nikol Vovayi Pashinyan (born 1 June 1975) is an Armenian politician who is serving as the 16th and current Prime Minister of Armenia, prime minister of Armenia since 8 May 2018. A journalist by profession, Pashinyan founded his own newspaper in ...
, who dismissed Lieutenant General
Movses Hakobyan from the post on May 24, 2018. He officially took office later that day by presidential decree. He was dismissed from his post as Chief of the General Staff after hosting a wedding party for his son in violation of
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
restrictions. Davtyan was then appointed Chairman of the Military Industry Committee of Armenia on 17 July 2020. On 16 November 2020, he was dismissed from that post following Armenia's defeat in the
Second Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict in 2020 that took place in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the Armenian-occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, surrounding occupied territories. It was a major esca ...
.
On 10 March 2021, Prime Minister Pashinyan again nominated Davtyan for the post of Chief of the General Staff following the
controversial dismissal of Davtyan's successor
Onik Gasparyan
Onik Viktori Gasparyan (Armenian: Օնիկ Վիկտորի Գասպարյան; born 6 January 1970) is an Armenian Colonel-General who served as the Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces from 8 June 2020 until his dismissal on ...
. Although President of Armenia
Armen Sarksyan refused to approve Davtyan's appointment and the Administrative Court of Armenia ruled that Gasparyan should retain his post pending a final decision on the legality of his dismissal, Prime Minister Pashinyan announced that the appointment of Davtyan had gone into effect by force of law on 22 March 2021, as the President neither signed the order nor sent it to the country's Constitutional Court.
The Premier introduced him to the General Staff on 22 March, stating that he had "kept in touch all this time" and that "It was obvious to me that we should re-engage him to benefit from his potential in managing our public affairs."
Davtyan then declared that he is "confident that the Armed Forces will not take part in any political process not stipulated by the Constitution and laws."
In January 2022, it was revealed that Davtyan is one of the accused, along with former minister of defense
David Tonoyan, arms dealer Davit Galstyan and a number of other high-ranking Armenian officers, in a criminal case related to the sale of non-functioning missiles to the Armenian Army.
Davtyan was dismissed from his position as Chief of the General Staff on February 24, 2022.
Education
*
Moscow Higher Military Command School (1990)
*
Frunze Military Academy
The M. V. Frunze Military Academy (), or in full the Military Order of Lenin and the October Revolution, Red Banner, Order of Suvorov Academy in the name of M. V. Frunze (), was a military academy of the Soviet and later the Russian Armed Forces ...
(1995–1998)
*
(2005–2006)
Awards
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Davtyan, Artak
1970 births
Living people
Armenian generals
Chiefs of the General Staff (Armenia)