Artavazd Avetisian was born in 1916.

He graduated from a flight school in Ukraine in 1937.

Leitenant Avetisian served in 269 IAP from December 1941. This unit operated on the Crimean Front, flying Polikarpov I-153s.

The I-153s from 269 IAP was in combat on the Crimean Front on 15 January 1942. During the day, leitenant Avetisian claimed one Ju 88 destroyed while starshiy leitenant Valentin Afanas’yev claimed one shared Bf 109 and one shared Ju 88.

Two days later, 269 IAP again was in combat with Ju 88s over the Crimean Front and both leitenant Avetisian and starshiy leitenant Valentin Afanas’yev claimed one Ju 88 as shared ”in group” (same aircraft?).

Avetisian was decorated with the Order of the Red Banner on 21 February 1942.

On 18 March, 269 IAP’s I-153s intercepted Ju 87s on the Crimean Front and Avetisian claimed one shared with another pilot while Valentin Afanas’yev claimed two as shared ”in group”.

Between May-July 1942, 269 IAP was placed in reserve and re-equipped with LaGG-3s.
They went into combat again on 2 August 1942, on the North Caucasus Front.

He was posted away from 269 IAP in August 1942.

In April 1944, he was posted to 401 IAP when this unit was formed. With this unit he flew La-5s

401 IAP became operational on 10 June 1944 as part of the Leningrad Air Defence.

On 19 June, Avetizian claimed 401 IAPs first victory when he claimed a FW 190 in a dogfight south-west of Viborg.

He was decorated with a second Order of the Red Banner on 28 June 1944.

On 22 August 1944, he was decorated with the Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class.

He left 401 IAP in October 1944.

Avetisian ended the war with 1 biplane victory and a total of 3.
This had been claimed during 199 combat missions (as of 6 August 1944).

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1942
1	15/01/42		1	Ju 88	Destroyed	I-153		Crimean Front	269 IAP
	17/01/42		1/?	Ju 88	Shared destroyed	I-153		Crimean Front	269 IAP
	18/03/42		1/2	Ju 87	Shared destroyed	I-153		Crimean Front	269 IAP
2	06/08/42		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	LaGG-3			269 IAP
	1944
3	19/06/44		1	FW 190	Destroyed	La-5		SW Viborg	401 IAP

Biplane victories: 1 and 2 shared destroyed.
TOTAL: 3 and 2 shared destroyed.

Sources:
All aces of Stalin 1936-1953 – Mikhail Bykov, 2014
Soviet Aces 1936-1953
Soviet Fighter Pilots 1936-1953 - Mikhail Bykov