List of ambassadors of Russia to Libya
{{Short description|none}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Ambassador
| body = the Russian Federation to the State of Libya
| image =Aydar Aganin.jpg
| incumbent = Aydar Aganin
| insignia = MID emblem.png
| incumbentsince = 29 December 2022
| department = Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Embassy of Russia in Tripoli
| style = His Excellency
The Honourable
| reports_to = Minister of Foreign Affairs
| seat = Tripoli
| appointer = President of Russia
| termlength = At the pleasure of the president
| first =
| formation =
| website = [https://libya.mid.ru/ru/ Embassy of Russia in Libya]
| insigniacaption = Emblem of the Russian Foreign Ministry
| unofficial_names =
| native_name ={{small|سفارة روسيا الاتحادية لدى دولة ليبيا}}
| residence =
}}
The ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Libya is the official representative of the president and the government of the Russian Federation to the president and the government of Libya.
The ambassador and his staff work at large in the Embassy of Russia in Tripoli.{{cite web|url=https://libya.mid.ru/ru/|title=Посольство Российской Федерации в Государстве Ливия |language=Russian|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia)|accessdate=15 May 2025}} The post of Russian ambassador to Libya is currently held by Aydar Aganin, incumbent since 29 December 2022.{{cite web|url=https://libya.mid.ru/ru/embassy/ambassador/|title=Посол|language=Russian|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia)|accessdate=15 May 2025}}
History of diplomatic relations
{{main|Libya–Russia relations}}
The Soviet Union established diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Libya on 4 September 1955.{{cite web|url=https://libya.mid.ru/ru/countries/dvustoronnie_otnosheniya/|title=Двусторонние отношения|language=Russian|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia)|accessdate=15 May 2025}} The first ambassador, {{ill|Nikolai Generalov|ru|Генералов, Николай Иванович}}, was appointed on 15 December 1955.{{cite web|url=https://www.knowbysight.info/6_MID/00316.asp|title= Посольство СССР в Ливии|language=Russian|publisher=knowbysight.info|accessdate=15 May 2025}} Following the 1969 Libyan revolution, which overthrew the king and brought Muammar Gaddafi to power on 1 September 1969, the Soviet Union recognised the Libyan Arab Republic on 4 September. Relations were maintained through several changes of name, to the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in 1977, and the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in 1986. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Libya recognised the Russian Federation as its successor state, and the incumbent Soviet ambassador, {{ill|Veniamin Popov|ru|Попов, Вениамин Викторович}}, continued in post as the Russian ambassador until 1992.
Russia maintained a diplomatic presence during the Libyan civil war which broke out in 2011, but the subsequent outbreak of factional violence made the security situation untenable. The Russian embassy was attacked on 2 October 2013, and the following day all of its staff were evacuated to Tunis.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-24386921|title=Russia evacuates embassy in Libya after attack|date=3 October 2013|accessdate=15 May 2025|publisher=BBC News}} The ambassador, {{ill|Ivan Molotkov|ru|Молотков, Иван Николаевич}}, remained nominally in post until 2018, but thereafter diplomatic affairs were handled through the Russian embassy in Tunis, with a temporary chargé d'affaires heading up the mission between 2018 and 2023. With the stabilising of the security situation by the early 2020s, Russia reopened its embassy in Tripoli in August 2023, with Aydar Aganin appointed as the new ambassador on 29 December 2022.{{cite news|url=https://libyaobserver.ly/news/russia-reopens-embassy-tripoli-sets-date-reopening-consulate-benghazi|title=Russia reopens embassy in Tripoli, sets date for reopening consulate in Benghazi|date=24 February 2024 |accessdate=15 May 2025|publisher=The Libya Observer}} Plans were also announced to reopen the consulate in Benghazi, but have been delayed until an agreement can be reached with the Government of National Stability, which controls eastern Libya.{{cite news|url=https://libyareview.com/52954/russia-prepares-to-reopen-its-consulate-in-benghazi/|title=Russia Prepares To Reopen Its Consulate In Benghazi|date=10 February 2025 |accessdate=15 May 2025|publisher=libyareview.com}}
List of representatives (1955–present)
=Soviet Union to the Kingdom of Libya (1955–1969)=
class="wikitable" |
valign="middle"
!Name !Title !Appointment !Termination !Notes |
{{ill|Nikolai Generalov|ru|Генералов, Николай Иванович}}
|15 December 1955 |18 October 1959 |Presented credentials on 13 January 1956 |
{{ill|Dmitry Ivanovich Zaikin|ru|Заикин, Дмитрий Иванович|lt=Dmitry Zaikin}}
|18 October 1959 |6 April 1965 |Presented credentials on 5 November 1959 |
{{ill|Suren Tovmasyan|ru|Товмасян, Сурен Акопович}}
|6 April 1965 |1 September 1969 |Presented credentials on 10 May 1965 |
=Soviet Union to the Libyan Arab Republic{{efn|Renamed the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in 1977, and the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya in 1986.}} (1969–1991)=
class="wikitable" |
valign="middle"
!Name !Title !Appointment !Termination !Notes |
{{ill|Suren Tovmasyan|ru|Товмасян, Сурен Акопович}}
|1 September 1969 |14 February 1970 | |
{{ill|Ivan Yakushin|ru|Якушин, Иван Нестерович}}
|14 February 1970 |31 August 1977 |Presented credentials on 11 March 1970 |
{{ill|Anatoly Anisimov (diplomat)|ru|Анисимов, Анатолий Васильевич (дипломат)|lt=Anatoly Anisimov}}
|31 August 1977 |4 September 1984 |Presented credentials on 5 November 1977 |
{{ill|Oleg Peresypkin|ru|Пересыпкин, Олег Герасимович}}
|4 September 1984 |19 September 1986 |Presented credentials on 18 October 1984 |
{{ill|Pogos Akopov|ru|Акопов, Погос Семёнович}}
|19 September 1986 |18 March 1991 | |
{{ill|Veniamin Popov|ru|Попов, Вениамин Викторович}}
|18 March 1991 |25 December 1991 | |
=Russian Federation to the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (1991–2011)=
class="wikitable" |
valign="middle"
!Name !Title !Appointment !Termination !Notes |
{{ill|Veniamin Popov|ru|Попов, Вениамин Викторович}}
|25 December 1991 |31 December 1992 | |
{{ill|Aleksey Podtserob|ru|Подцероб, Алексей Борисович}}
|31 December 1992 |23 August 1996 | |
{{ill|Sergey Bukin|ru|Букин, Сергей Николаевич}}
|23 August 1996 |26 December 2000 | |
Sergei Kirpichenko
|26 December 2000 |13 February 2004 | |
Valerian Shuvaev
|13 February 2004 |16 October 2008 | |
{{ill|Vladimir Chamov|ru|Чамов, Владимир Васильевич}}
|16 October 2008 |19 March 2011 | |
=Russian Federation to the State of Libya (2011–present)=
class="wikitable" |
valign="middle"
!Name !Title !Appointment !Termination !Notes |
{{ill|Ivan Molotkov|ru|Молотков, Иван Николаевич}}
|30 January 2012 |26 November 2018 |Left Libya on 3 October 2013 |
Dzhamshed Boltayev
|November 2018 |March 2023 |Based at the embassy in Tunis |
Aydar Aganin
|29 December 2022 | |Presented credentials on 26 June 2023 |
Notes
{{notelist}}