Theodor Kristian Avellan (Russian: Фёдор Карлович Авелан, tr.

Although castigated by the Russian government for the defeat of Russia in that war, he subsequently served on the Board of Admiralty and was member of the State Council (1914).

In 1878, he took part in a naval expedition to the coasts of North America and was subsequently given command of the cruiser Asia.

From 1893–1894, Avellan commanded the Russian squadron in the Mediterranean, and visited the French Navy in Toulon (October 1893) to reinforce the Franco-Russian Alliance.

Following the massive defeat of the Imperial Russian Navy at the Battle of Tsushima, he was held responsible for the disaster due to his underestimation of the Japanese and was stripped of his rank.