Pyotr Ryhoravič Chavus[a] (born 7 January 1939) is a Soviet-Belarusian retired lieutenant general and politician the first Defence Minister of Belarus, serving from December 1991 to April 1992.

He began his service as commander of a tank platoon in the North Caucasus Military District.

He then served as the deputy commander of a tank battalion in the Belorussian Military District.

In 1978, he attended the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.

At the end of 1991, during a business trip in Minsk he accepted the offer to lead the newly created Ministry of Defence of Belarus.